search for the next hyuuga bride
by ruin princess
Summary: accidents.death.LOVE?all girls wc will be chosen will leave w natsume.he wasn’t aware of this but will he be interested once he laid eyes on a girl who looks like his dead fiancée?Will he fall in love again?Or will he stay cold forever?RxR pairs:Nx? HxR
1. a nightmare

**Search for the next hyuuga bride**

**Disclaimer:** Doesn't and will not own Gakuen Alice or Alice academy, the only thing that is mine is the new characters and its plot!! No suing!!

**Summary: **due to a recent car accident, natsume lost the only girl he loved dearly. He changed dramatically, from his boy next door image to a rude, cold, and emotionless one. His father and best friend are worried for him 'coz he can't move on, he was blaming himself for that accident. Therefore, in the end, ruka, and mr hyuuga decided to have a contest entitled "who wants to be the next hyuuga bride," where in all girls age of 16- 17 can join. However, the challenge is that all the girls who will be chosen along with natsume will be leaving inside a mini mansion. Natsume wasn't aware of this, but will he be interested once he lay eyes on a girl who looks like his dead fiancé?? Will he fall in love again?? Or will he stay cold forever, blaming himself for his fiancée's death?

**Chapter one: nightmares**

**Natsume's POV**

The night was so calm and serene. I am currently reading my manga when suddenly **–knock- knock-knock-**"come in" I said coolly as I sit and wait to see who it was. It turns out to be my best friend ruka. He's been my friend since we were little. He's the only guy who knows everything about me, except for my fiancée of course, but sadly she died in a car accident a year ago. As I drift farther into my own thoughts, I heard ruka telling me about something all but I can do is to nod and pretend that I am listening into every word that he was saying, But the truth is Im not in the mood for such rubbish talks. As night time falls everyday, all I can do is to waft into my own thoughts and reminisce into my bloody and unforgettable past.

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**Normal POV**

The night was so calm and peaceful. Silence is enveloping the whole hyuuga household since "that day". Natsume is quietly reading his manga inside his big, spacious boy scented room. He loves being alone at this kind of nights. His so called silence was suddenly interrupted by a loud knocking "come in," he said as he gently closes his manga book.

"how are you natsume?"

"Hn,"

Suddenly, **-kring- kring- kring- **Ruka's phone rang. He picks it up, flips it open and said "hello?" in his calm and low voice.

"ruka!" the other line said. "hotaru?" his replies, his handsome face carrying a quizzical look _"why is she calling me at this time of hour?" _he asks himself. "meet me tomorrow at my café, we need to talk,"

"why? cant we just talk now?" he is indeed confuse.

"no so just meet me tomorrow okay? 9 a.m., and bring someone with you, because I'll be bringing mikan and I don't want her to interrupt us tomorrow while talking okay? Bye! Oyasumi ruka!"

–**beep-beep-beep-beep- **the other line hang up.

Ruka is still holding that confuse look. "it all happened so fast!" he mutters to himself. He is staring blankly into this space.

"what is it about?" natsume asks, while staring at his best friend's confused look...

"she wants me to meet her tomorrow. Can you accompany me?" he asks pleadingly,

"huh? Why me?" raising a brow at him. "'cause you're my best friend and besides, after that day, you are always here inside your house. aren't you even bored in here?"

"yeah, fine! But only tomorrow okay?!"

"thanks natsume!" anyway, where is uncle?" he asks.

"what is it that you need from him?"

"I want to talk to him, about something"

"hn, he's at his office, I think he's resting there," he answers irritably _"what is it that he needs from that old man?!" _he asks himself.

"okay! Ja natsume! Meet me at hotaru's café around 9 a.m. okay? Oyasumi natsume!" he then bids farewell and runs his way to Mr.Hyuuga's office.

At last, he found himself standing in front of mr hyuuga's office. **–knock-knock-knock- **"my hyuuga?" he asks in a low voice. "come in" he replies.

He slowly opens the heavy oak door standing in front of him to make his way inside his uncle's office. "uncle, I am sincerely worried about natsume's condition. It seems that after "that day" he doesn't want to go out anymore, now all he does everyday is to lock himself inside his room." He explains in such a low and calm manner, getting Mr.Hyuuga's attention.

"ruka, I too is concern with that boy. It seems that he still cannot forget his feelings for chikako. Do you have any idea how he can have a relationship again? I mean, Im not rushing him or what, Im just concern about him. All he does is to talk to you and no one else. He doesn't even want to make new friends."

"uhm…"

A thick layer of silence is covering the two men. Suddenly, a notion struck ruka. "uhm, uncle, why don't we have a contest? The major rule of the contest is that all the girls which will be chosen must stay and leave together in a huge house along with natsume. Maybe, just maybe, he can find someone in there which he likes." He explains briefly.

"what a unique notion you have there," "ruka, but how about natsume? Im sure he won't agree into this." He continues.

"well, let's think about that later. All we need to do is the selection round. In addition, ruka-kun, can you make an alibi for me? 'cause I want natsume to be one of the judges." He asks calmly.

"okay uncle that will be easy for me." He replies quickly.

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**Natsume's Room**

**-tick tock-tick tock- **time is passing quickly for our raven haired boy. He is sleeping soundly when suddenly…

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**Natsume's dream/POV**

I was eating with my fiancé chikako in a famous restaurant. Later on, I decided to propose to since we've been going out for a year now. I knelt down in front of her, she whispered something, "natsume, you're embarrassing me, stand up," she was blushing madly, 'cause I think she knows what I am going to do.

I remember it as if it was yesterday.

"I-I-Chi-Chika-Chikako, will you be my fiancé?" I was stammering while I was doing that. I saw her smiling, from that moment on,I already know what her answer will be.

"na-natsume," I was staring at her lovely features, even though she was crying, she looks very cute. Her coffee hue eyes are starting to turn red and are still releasing those big, fat, hot tears.

"I-I'll be glad to!" I was so happy after hearing her answer. I gently slid the plain silver ring into her finger and stood up after that. She was still crying.then she stood up too then hugs me. "it was so fast! you surprise me!" i heard her whisper.The people inside the restaurant were all looking at us. "aww, that was sweet." Someone said. "he's so sweet!" another one complimented. I signaled her to sit down, and continue eating. Half an hour after, we both finished finish our own meals,we paid at the counter and went home.i was driving with her by my side, I was about to turn left, but as I step into the brake to lower the speed, It didn't even budge.

"chikako, I'll always love you." I said in a sweet tone.

"I'll always love you, natsume." I heard her reply.

"chikako,"

"huh?"

"whatever happens, always remember that I'll always love you,"

"I love you too natsume,"

I turned left, and hoping that the brakes will regain its use but there's no use. a truck is coming its way to us, I steered it to the left, but it didn't move. Our car was run by the truck, the car was turned upside down, chikako was bleeding badly, she also have deep cuts and bruises into her whole fragile body. her temple was bleeding as i inclined her head i felt something weird then i heard her saying some unusualk stuff.

"natsume, I'll always love you, find a girl which will make you happy." i heard her saying that while i was busy getting help.

"chikako!!!! Don't leave me!!"

Her coffee hue eyes are starting to turn pale and black, she was caressing my bleeding cheeks, as if telling me to calm down. from that moment on, i already knew it, but to relax myself i decided to put the feeling away becuase i know she's a strgoonggirl and she can survive but as i saw her hand falling slowly it struck me, maybe she really is going to leave me.i saw her again, her angelic dface that was smiling before is now covored with blood,but despite that she still is smiling.her senses were beginning to fade, and lastly her hand that was carresing my cheeks to tell me to stop fell.

One...

Two...

Three. Minutes after, I lost her.

"CHIKAKO!!!" I shouted as I carry her dead body bridal style.

**End Of Dream/POV**

Natsume was sweating heavily as he sits upright, waking up from his nightmare. "chikako," he mutters under his breath. "will I be able to move on?"

**Meanwhile…**

"mikan, do you want to come with me tomorrow?" a certain raven hair inventor asks, "of course hotaru! I'll meet you at the train station tomorrow!" a certain brunette, girl replies. "meet me their around 8:45 okay?"

"okay! Oyasumi hotaru,"

"tch, oyasumi baka!"

**¡¡¡¡ end of chapter one¡¡¡¡¡¡**

A/n:

Did you like it??

Shattered hopes will be temporarily on HIATUS…

Sorry guys!!  
happy new year!!  
read and review!!

Okay?

**Next chapter:**

Chapter Two: meeting an idiotic girl

**Preview:**

"**natsume, I want you to meet my friend, mikan sakura and hotaru imai,"**

"**hn,"**

"**ruka-pyon! hi!"**

"**hi mikan-chan!"**

"**hotaru, what is it that you want to talk about?"**

"**you're such a loud mouthed girl! shut up! You're making my ears bleed,"**


	2. a meeting with an idiotic girl

**Search for the next hyuuga bride**

**Disclaimer:** Doesn't and will not own Gakuen Alice or Alice academy, the only thing that is mine is the new characters and its plot!! No suing!!

**Previously:**

Natsume was sweating heavily as he sits upright, waking from his nightmare. "chikako," he mutters under his breath. "will I be able to move on?"

**Meanwhile…**

"mikan, do you want to come with me tomorrow?" a certain raven hair inventor asks, "of course hotaru! I'll meet you at the train station tomorrow!" a certain brunette, girl replies. "meet me their around 8:45 okay?"

"okay! Oyasumi hotaru,"

"tch, oyasumi baka!"

**End of chapter one**

**Chapter 2: meeting an idiotic girl**

The day srated out to be windy and sunny, the birds are singing, the cats are meowing while a certain image of a brunette girl was still sleeping. Her mom, yuka was cooking their breakfast, while her dad seiji, was reading the newspaper.

"kkkkyyyaaa!!!! Im going to be late!!" a certain brunette shouts.

"_so, she's wake now huh?" _mr and mrs sakura thought.

**-thud-thud-thud- **mikan's heavy walking was audible inside the whole household., she was panicking 'cause if she's going to be late, hotaru will shoot her with her baka gun. Minutes after that, the loud stepping of mikan and the banging of the door stopped.

"mikan dear, breakfast is ready!" her mom shouts.

"Im coming mom!" she replies.

**-thud-thud-thud-**

"mom, why didn't you wake me up?" she asks, completely panicking

"I was, but then you kept on saying "five more minutes mom,"" her childish mom answers back, mimicking her.

She grabs a bread and stuffs it inside her mouth, and runs out from the house.

"Im leaving!!" she shouts, as she exits her house.

She is running. "run, run, run, Im going to be late, Ru-chan's gonna kill me!" she mutters to herself.

Ten minutes after that, she arrives at the train station, she took the elevator so that she won't be using the stairs, "Im late!" she shouts to herself,

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**Mikan's POV**

I was suppose to meet hotaru at the train station at 8:45, but unfortunately I woke up late, "she's gonna be mad at me, and she'll shoot me with her baka gun!" I whisper to myself, as I continue running towards the train station. As I look into my sakura watch I panic even more, it says 9:05.

"ru-chan's gonna kill me!-**Run-run-run-**!" a lil bit more of running and at last I can see the asoka train station, I run as fast as I can so that I won't be late furthermore.

"Yey! at last Im here!" I cheer to myself as I go inside the elevator to save time.

The bell thingy of the train just ring, at last, Im at the 2nd floor of the train station, where in I was suppose to meet ru-chan. I quickly scan the place, looking for a certain raven haired girl which has shoulder length hair.

"ru-chan!" I shout, as I wave my hand to say hi to her.

"Im sorry Im late!" I said to her, while convincing her not to shoot me with her baka gun.

She shrugs in reply. She didn't even bother asking if why am I was late. She's not like this. Maybe she's angry with me.

She drags me going to the train, "aren't we suppose to buy tickets first?" I ask her.

"I already have them! baka! next time be careful, you didn't even call me and tell me that you are on you're way, I am starting to worry you know," **(A/N: ooc….) **I am happy that she is worried for me, I never thought that she will be like that. "Im sorry hotaru," I reply in a sad and faint voice as we made our way inside the train. "its okay," I heard her reply.

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**Normal POV**

The train ride is so quiet. no one dared to break the silence engulfing the best of friends. Only the chatting of elementary girls, business women, and man talking to their phones are the only thing that is audible. Ten minutes after the silent train ride, the two arrive at hotaru's café. It's already 9:30. the two girls they eye ruka and natsume sitting at the far end side of the café, as they enter the said restaurant. Mikan came up to the running, hotaru walking calmly.

"sorry we're late." Mikan said, bowing in front of the two men sitting in front of her.

"its okay, sakura-san," ruka replies, smiling at the two of them.

Hotaru and mikan are sitting together, and ruka and natsume. as mikan make her way sitting next to hotaru, her eyes met natsume's striking crimson eyes. "_his eyes are beautiful, yet full of loneliness and sadness" _she mutters under her breath. _"she looks chikako," _a certain raven haired boy said. A waitress comes to get their order, upon seeing hotaru she immediately greets "ohayou imai-sama," Mikan and the others are shock "sama?" they all thought as hotaru orders their food.

"we'll have four strawberry cheesecakes and iced tea." The waitress then leaves and

"so that means you own this café?" her dense best friend asks innocently.

"yes, baka, its mine."

"wow!" her mouth formation is like this "O".

"moving on," ruka resumes

"natsume, I want you to meet my friend, mikan sakura and hotaru imai,"

"hn,"

"natsume? hi! Im mikan!"

"hn."

"hotaru, what is it that you want to talk about?"

"uhm, about "it"" (the contest)

"how did you know about it?" asks ruka who is looking intently to hotaru.

"you can't hind anything form me darling," she replies

"oh I see. Can we just talk privately? There are plenty of screaming girls in here."

"maybe I'll just call you, or I'll just go into you're house later."

"imai-sama, here are you're cheesecakes"

"thanks!"

"hn,"

"thank you so much!"

""you're such a loud mouthed girl! shut up! You're making my ears bleed," natsume said, his patience is getting thin.

"kkkkyyyaaa!!!!!" the girls shout.

"he's cute!"

"the one who has the raven hair is so handsome!"

"marry me!"

"go out with me!" this are some rubbish that the girls are shouting,

"sorry but he has a girlfriend already!" mikan shouts while taking a hold of Ruka's collar and hotaru's hand.

"can't you see their a couple! so stop bothering us!"

"fine! but that raven haired boy, does he have a lover?" a fan girl shouts while pointing at natsume.

"uhm,-uhm," mikan's now stammering, _"yeah. come to think of it, does he have a lover? I think his cute though, wait! mikan! what are you saying!! Grrr!" _she thought to herself.

"yes, actually she's here with me," natsume suddenly replies,

"_awe, he has a special someone!" _mikan and the fan girls thought.

"who is it then?" the girls shouts,

"here!" he replies confidently, grabbing the shock mikan's collar.

"just go with the flow," he whispers to her.

"but- but" she answers stammering.

"give us a proof!" they all shout, they can't believe it! The famous hyuuga natsume dating an ordinary girl?!

"you want po-proof?" mikan mimics, totally shock, the fan girls all nod and the next thing mikan knew was that she's being kissed by natsume "_strawberries huh?" _he is smirking as he eyes the blank reaction of the brunette girl he is kissing right now.

"_his lips are so warm! Wait! What am I thinking?! He stole my first kiss!! Wah!!! Break the kiss mikan, break the kiss!! Wait! However, I can't, I 'm actually replying into it!! No!!!!! my heart is beat like crazy, and I can feel hot blood rushing into my cheeks! no what is this feeling!!" _she thought.

"_I wonder, what is she thinking?" _

Natsume broke the kiss, leaving a shock mikan, all the fan girls are now gaping.

"this is impossible!" they all shout.

Mikan, snapping back to her shock didn't control herself and **S-L-A-P. **she slaps natsume's handsome features.

"wwwhhhaaatt?!!!" all of the fan girls exclaim.

"you're such a pervert! you stole my first kiss! I don't even know you, how dare you kiss me like that huh?!" she shouts,

"hn, you're such a loud mouthed girl! shut up!"

"who are you to tell me to shut up huh?!"

"…"

"you pervert!"

"sa-sakura, wait!"

"I've gotta go now ruka, I'll just call you later."

"yeah, please tell sakura that Im sorry," ruka said,

"yeah, yeah"

Hotaru run after mikan who is at the moment crying, she never been this humiliated and used before.

"that hyuuga! He's a jerk! Not to mention a pervert!"

"baka! Wait for me!"

"ho-hotaru?"

"yeah baka! Stop crying! And ruka said that he is sorry,"

"why must he say sorry? his not the one who did it! it's that hyuuga pervert!"

"let's just go somewhere else, where do you want to go?"

"let's just go to the mall!" she is smiling again to hotaru

"baka!"

"mou, you're so mean!"

"because that is what friends are for"

"na-uh hotaru!"

"tch! just sush it! you're so loud"

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**  
Hotaru's café**

"why did you do that?"

"because she looks like chikako,"

"natsume! just because she looks like chikako doesn't mean that you can kiss her like that," he scolds

"hn, while kissing her, I was feeling something weird, as if it happened before," **(a/n: ooc…)**

"natsume! apologize to her! you made her cry!"

"let her be"

"hay…"

"_that girl is interesting, chikako…"_

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**At the mall**

"hotaru! let's go in here!"

"yeah, yeah, just quit tagging me!"

The duo was inside a clothes store named "girls like us," this clothes store is mikan's favorite store,

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**Hotaru's POV**

As we go inside this idiotic girly girl store, the next thing I know is that mikan wasn't at my side anymore.

I am looking for her, and unexpectedly saw her, running back and forth from one cloth rack to another, she really is an idiot. A shopaholic idiot. sigh after an hour, I saw her again, but she's now at the counter now, paying. When she was finish with her 30 minute shopping, we go out of the store, I saw ruka with natsume, and both are running from a swarm of screaming and crazy girls. "mikan" I am calling her but I guess she didn't hear me, natsume and ruka are still running away from their fan girls, we are about to turn left, I try to grab mikan's hand so that she wouldn't be able to bump into natsume, but I guess it was too late. **–bang-­plush-what?!!-**. all of mikan's paper bags were scattered at the mall's marble floor, the fan girls are gaping again, I can see Ruka's reaction, it is funny, and he's staring at the couple lying into the marble floor.

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**Normal POV**

All eyes are lay into the couple lying at the mall's marble floor. Natsume is under mikan and mikan is on top of natsume, her lips touching his warm ones. This is the second time their lips met. Mikan's eyes are widely open. While his eyes are just cold yet his smirking, She immediately part her lips with his, and gather all of her scattered shopping bags around, ruka is helping her while natsume is just staring at them, wiping the blood off from his lips.

"I didn't kiss him!" mikan quickly depends herself from further questions and humiliation.

"yeah you did!" he said,

"kkkkyyyaaa!!! his lips are bleeding!!!" the fan girls shout

"that's it! That's the proof that I dint kiss him, 'coz If I did kiss him, that wouldn't bleed" mikan continues,

"hn, let's go ruka, and see you again, strawberry print girl"

"you saw!! You pervert! moreover, there's no see you again!! bleh!" she replies, sticking her tongue out.

"hn,"

"bye ruka-pyon!"

"see you again, sakura-san!"

"let's go baka!"

All of them head their way home, mikan and hotaru commute, while ruka and natsume drive.

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**Mikan's POV (warning: OOC)**

I never had been this tired before! All of these things happened so fast! In addition, that kiss, it wasn't even true! My lips was on his teeth, that's why it bleed, and that pervert! grrr... I hate him, he's the most un-gentleman I had ever met! Ever! I can't even see the point why those girls are crazy about him, yes, he has looks, but I really can't see the point why they like him so much. His eyes are crimson, which is very striking at the same time. Yet those eyes are filled with loneliness and sadness. I pity him, I wonder what happen to him that made him like that. I am lying freely at my small twin size bed. I can't sleep because of that kiss, that kiss, while my lips are touching his, I was feeling something different, as if that kiss was really for me, it was so warm and caring, the total opposite of his eye's content. However, in the end, I manage to fell asleep, "tomorrow will be another day," I mutter under my breath before my russet eyes close.

**Natsume's POV (warning: OOC…)**

This is the most boring day of my life. However, something really caught my attention, that strawberry print girl, she looks exactly like chikako, but she's a little childish though, they act the same too. I gently grab the picture frame standing on top of my side table. It is a picture of chikako and me, she is smiling very angelic, while I was frowning. I am looking at in intently. I was even talking to it, those memories, "chikako," "Im sorry" I said to particularly no one, "is she the girl I've been dreaming for days now?" I asked to the picture frame and myself. I place the frame back to its proper place, I switch off the lights, and made my way into my large, king size bed, the kiss suddenly appeared into m mind. "she is very warm indeed, can I move on?" I gently place my arm on top of my fore head, I was deep into my thoughts, one, two, three, moments after thinking, and reminiscing about my past and what had happen a while ago cause me to fell asleep. "tomorrow will be another day," I mutter to myself.

**Ruka's POV **

The happenings today are so bizarre, first, that kiss, I never saw natsume kiss a girl in a way like that after chi-chan's death, second, his smirk, after chi-chan's death, I never saw him smirk nor smile again, he really did changed. Now I guess mikan is moving him, slowly but surely. I just hope mikan will be our key to change natsume back to his old self, sigh "better sleep now, tomorrow will be another day," I said before going to bed.

The first meeting of natsume and mikan wasn't that nice, he is rude, cold and pervert, While mikan is innocent, childish and warm. There are plenty of surprises that just pop out from nowhere. however, in the end, will mikan be able to change natsume for the better?

**¡¡¡¡ end of chapter two¡¡¡¡¡¡**

**A/n:**

Did you like it??

**Shattered hopes will be temporarily on HIATUS…**

Sorry guys!!  
happy new year!!  
read and review!!

Okay?

Im sorry too if you find this chapter boring or so wrong (grammatically) cause Im not in the mood today, even though it's the first day of 2008, honestly speaking, Im sad. so sorry again!! I'm just going to make the next chap good and exciting. Gomene bows In addition, thank you so much for reviewing my chapter one!!!

'miyuki-chan07'

Konnie

aprilXXX

dominiqueanne- my solid reviewer… thanks!

petalsarefallingxoxo

aNiMe pRiNcEsS24

natsume-meg93

Kananoru

xXMeruPuriXx

truc.mi – first reviewer!! Thanks!

**Next chapter:**

Chapter three: what preparations?

**Preview:**

"**hotaru, can you ask mikan to join the contest?"**

"**no, because she won't be joining any, she doesn't want to join such things"**

"**natsume, can I ask you a favor?"**

"**hn,"**

"**what?!"**

"**you pervert!! Why are you here?!"**

"**calm down mikan-chan," anna said. **


	3. what preparations?

**Search for the next hyuuga bride**

**Disclaimer:** Doesn't and will not own Gakuen Alice or Alice academy, the only thing that is mine is the new characters and its plot!! No suing!!

**Previously:**

The first meeting of natsume and mikan wasn't that nice, he is rude, cold and pervert, While mikan is innocent, childish and warm. There are plenty of surprises that just pop out from nowhere. however, in the end, will mikan be able to change natsume for the better?

**End of chapter three**

**Chapter three: what preparations?**

A beautiful Monday morning, two days after that incident, mikan, and hotaru was walking to school with a different aura. **(gomene! I forgot! Hotaru and mikan are both 16, while natsume and ruka are 17)**

"that pervert! I can't believe he really did that?!" she said in a loud, almost shouting voice, As the incident the other day flashbacks into her head, making her more frustrated.

"just keep your voice down! It's 6:45 am for Pete's sake! People are still sleeping!" she scolds in a cold voice, hitting the brunette's head lightly.

"itai! what was that for?" while rubbing her bump.

"idiot! Just keep your voice down!"

"hn, fine!" she's now pouting, "I wont talk to you!" she continues

"then don't!"

"hmp!"

"baka…"

The two continue walking, mikan isn't talking, and so is hotaru. silence is engulfing the two best of friends, then suddenly, **­beep-beep-beep- **hotaru's cell phone is ringing. She picks it up and said, "what do you want ruka?!" in an irritated voice.

"uhm, can I talk to you later after class? Uhm, just go and meet me later at your café,"

"you're already talking to me baka! And what is it about that you want to talk about?"

"about the contest,"

"oh, yeah right, fine! Just meet me later after school at my café, we'll talk there..."

"okay! thanks a bunch!"

"hn,"

She hung up after that last phrase of hers, mikan is wondering who she is talking to so she decides to ask her.

"who is it huh hotaru?" she said in her high pitch loud voice.

"none of your business baka, and I thought you don't want to talk to me?!" she shot back, smirking.

"uhm, yes I did! And now, Im not talking to you again!"

"baka!"

"ohayou, mikan-chan, and hotaru!" two girls with different hair color greet.

"ohayou! Anna-chan, nonoko-chan,"

"ohayou." Hotaru greets

"are you alright mikan?"

"uhm, yeah!" she said, faking a smile.

"na-uh, you're not good at lying mikan,"

"hehehehehe," she chuckles

"so what happened to you the other day?" anna asks

"we've been calling you, but we got no answer." Nonoko continues.

"uhm, I met this pervert! Natsume hyuuga! grr! i hate him; he kissed me for no reason at all in front of his stupid fan girls! my first kiss was stolen by a pervert!! wah!!"

"what?!" anna and nonoko screams. Obvious that they are both shock.

Hotaru nods, mikan is laughing at them.

"anyway, let's just go inside, we might ne late,"

"okay, but tell us more on the way okay?"

"yeah, yeah"

"Yey!"

The four girls continue walking inside the school, all of them heading to the classroom, however, upon arrival mikan, hotaru, anna, and nonoko are hearing screams everywhere.

"kya! Natsume hyuuga is the best!" screams one of their classmate while waving a magazine. the magazine is called "Showbiz Central"

"did you know that today is the first death anniversary of his fiancée?" another one said

"I pity him! He's so handsome, he has everything, but after he asked his girl to be his fiancée, they had a car accident and the girl died." Another one said

"was it true?" mikan unconsciously asks, breaking the girls' gossiping

"yes mikan-Chan. that's why he changed dramatically, don't you know who hyuuga natsume is?" asks chii, one of her classmates.

"no." mikan flatly answers.

"what?" anaki exclaims.

"why? Is that a problem, not all people know that natsume whatever you know," she said

"well sakura, for your information, natsume hyuuga is a famous model, heir, and student." Anaki explains.

"ooh, wait! what?! He's a famous what?!"

"model" chii said

"student," Anna said

"company heir"aniki said

"ohhh…"

"why, did something happen?"

"na-uh," mikan said.

"oh, I see," the gossiping girls said,

"but you know what, a friend of mine called me last night and told me that natsume kissed a girl the other day in front of his fan girls."

"what?!" all of the crazy fan girls said.

"yeah, he kissed that girl because they asked him for some proof or something because he told his fan girls that the girl he kissed was his new girlfriend," anaki said

"oh-oh," mikan said

"did you say something?" anna and nonoko said

"uhm, remember what I told you a while ago? that a pervert stole my first kiss? Well its hyuuga." She explains in a soft and faint voice, for anna and nonoko's ears only.

"what?!" the two girls shouts, while all mikan can do is to nod.

"and chikako, natsume-sama's dead fiancée looks exactly like mikan sakura,"

That phrase caught mikan and her friend's attention.

"who looks who?" a girl with moss green hair with perm at the end of her hair entered, with another girl whose as tall as the first girl, her hair is grayish black, with striking green eyes.

"chikako misawa, looks like mikan sakura," anna, nonoko anaki and chii said in unison.

"what?! no, of course not!" the girl with moss green hair with perm at the end of her hair said, her name is sumire, and unfortunately, she is mikan's enemy.

"what are you saying huh anaki? give me that damn magazine." Ordered the girl with grayish black hair and with striking green. She is non another than Luna Koizumi.

The gossiping girls hand the magazine to both Luna and sumire. They look through it, they are both looking about the article about natsume and chikako's relationship. They found it, and decided to read it out loud so that all of their classmates can hear it.

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

"First death anniversary of chikako misawa, will natsume hyuuga be able to move on now??  
Ever since that night, natsume hyuuga, 16 years old and the heir of hyuuga industries still cannot move on from his fiancée's death chikako misawa, 16 years old. After asking her to be his fiancée, they got into a car accident, causing her to lose her life. Natsume hyuuga was deeply depressed and was deeply hurt. after a year can he now move on? Still blame him for losing chikako's life?"** Continue reading on pg.3**

**¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

The screaming girls before are now quiet. While some of the girls stopped what their doing. hotaru is sitting quietly into her seat, listening to the article, while mikan, anna, nonoko are all carrying a pitiful and crestfallen look on their beautiful faces.

"I was so harsh, I shouldn't have told him such things," mikan said, the feeling of guilt is slowly making her more offended.

"I should apologize to him, I need to, and I didn't know such sad things happened to him" she continues

"ms.sahara is coming, take your seats everybody," a boy shouts

The students head their way into their own seats while mikan is still standing in front of the class, staring blankly into space.

"miss sakura, can you please take your seat?" ms. Sahara said, as she makes her way in the middle of the class.

"huh? Oh, Gomen ms.sahara," she said, as she heads her way back into her seat.

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**After Class**

"hotaru!" a certain brunette shouts

"hn,"

"where are you going?"

"somewhere and you can't come along with me, its private," she replies emotionlessly.

"okay fine! then don't ask me to come along next time okay?" she retorts while pouting.

"okay then, Ja baka, see you tomorrow," she said, as she walks on the opposite side of the road.

"that hotaru,"

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**Fast forward (hotaru's café)**

Hotaru and ruka are silently sitting at the far end side of the table.

"hotaru, can you ask mikan to join the contest?"

"no, because she won't be joining any, she doesn't want to join such things"

"so, is it true? That today is the first death anniversary of chikako misawa?" hotaru asks in a low voice. Ruka nods

"so, about the con-"

"here's what we should do, uhm, make banners for the contest but make sure that natsume won't notice it, and we'll just tell him that it's for his cousin, rinji. Okay?

"oh I see, I think she's the one who can change natsume, she looks exactly like chikako, her hair, her eyes, everything about her is similar to her, that's why I think she can do it, and anyway, the other day, that's the only time I saw natsume act like that after chikako's death, so please convince her." He pleaded.

"yeah, yeah, just schedule an audition next week and I'll bring her there, and make sure that the requirements for the contest are will all be present okay? The school grades, talents, and birth certificate, cause knowing all that crazy fan girls of him, they will fake their age just to go and join the stupid contest," she explains, smirking evilly.

"yeah, okay, the audition will be held next week, but on what place?"

"uhm, the mall, at hanazawa mall, let the audition start at 9 am up to 5pm and make sure hyuuga will be there, okay? Make him one of the judge or something,"

"okay, thanks, so I think were finish in here, see you next week ru-chan,"

"yeah, bye!" she said.

They head home together, ruka walk hotaru home **(isn't that sweet?!) **and after that, he himself head his way home.

**When ruka got home the first thing he did was to call natsume.**

"natsume, can I ask you a favor?"

"hn,"

"uhm, can you go with me to the mall next week? We need to do something in there."

"hn,"

"are you alright? today is…." However, natsume cut him off

"yeah ruka, Im fine, no need to worry,"

"okay then,"

**When hotaru got home the first thing she did was to call mikan**

"baka, you need to come with me next week, where going to the mall, I'll treat you" she said

"treat me? Okay then! What time?"

"9 am don't be late okay! And dress properly, dress like a girl,"

"but I dress like a girl hotaru,"

"just make it presentable! that's what I mean baka!"

"hehehehehe, gomene, okay, gotta go, were going to eat dinner soon, Ja hotaru!"

"bye."

The line was dead after that, she dialed two numbers after that, nonoko and Anna's cell phone number.** (three way calling)**

"anna, nonoko, help me with something,"

"on what?"

"me, ruka and natsume's father is going to organize a contest, to help natsume move on, so can you help me convince mikan join the contest? because they believe that mikan is the key so that natsume will go back to his old self, because they believe that mikan looks exactly like chikako misawa."

"what?!" the two girls exclaim, making hotaru's ear bleed

"shush it, just help me okay? Meet me next week at hanazawa mall and then I'll just explain the plan their, okay?"

"hai!" the girls exclaim  
"thanks,"

"bye!"

**One week after (audition day, hanazawa mall 9am)**

Mikan is sitting in one of the food court's chairs with hotaru, anna, and nonoko.

"we'll just order something," hotaru, anna and nonoko said

"okay!"

Mikan is sitting alone at the chair when somebody suddenly sits with her. it was ruka with natsume.

"hi! Sakura-san," greeted the blonde boy

"hi ruka-pyon, oh I see, natsume is here with you too," her smile slowly fades as she eyes natsume, sitting next to ruka.

Hotaru and the two girls returns from their "food ordering" but the truth is they went to the bathroom to discuss the "so called plan."

"oh I see, you guys are here too,"

"hn, loud mouthed girl,"

"you pervert!! Why are you here?!"

"calm down mikan-chan," anna said.

"okay, count mikan, count" "_1, 2, 3,"_ this is her way to calm herself down, to count.

"what a coincidence," hotaru said

"yeah, what are you doing here anyway?" anna and nonoko asks

"uhm, we just need to do something, you?" ruka said

"uhm, we're just uhm," she replies uncertainly

"mikan is going to join something," hotaru said in a bored tone

"what?!" the brunette girl exclaims

"yes you are, because I said so,"

"no! I don't want to!"

"yes you are!"

"make me!"

Then hotaru pull something out from her purse. It's a picture of natsume and mikan kissing at the café and the incident at the mall.

"wah-what is this?!" she said

"pictures. If you still don't want to join then fine, I'll just give this pictures to publishing office and the next thing you know is that you and hyuuga are a couple already." She is smirking evilly, as she watches the poor brunette's reaction

"fa-fine!" she said,

"good girl," hotaru teased

All of them are silent. Mikan is still in shock.

"okay then, let's go to the audition hall," ruka said,

"and by the way, natsume, you'll be one of the judges,"

"hn,"

"I'll take that as a yes,"

They all head to the audition hall, upon arrival, they become shock, the audition hall is full of young ladies, and all are hoping to be chosen by the strict and not to mention high maintenance judges.

**¡¡¡¡ end of chapter three¡¡¡¡¡¡**

**A/n:**

Did you like it??

**Shattered hopes will be temporarily on HIATUS…**

Sorry guys!!  
happy new year!!  
read and review!!

Okay?

In addition, thank you so much for reviewing my chapter two!!! I appreciate it!!

truc.mi

Petalsarefallingxoxo

Dominiqueanne

k0nek0

natsume-meg93

midnight-attraction

Kananoru

I'll be installing the next chappie on Friday, if not maybe weekends!  
thanks again!


	4. auditions

**Search for the next hyuuga bride**

**Disclaimer:** Doesn't and will not own Gakuen Alice or Alice academy, the only thing that is mine is the new characters and its plot!! No suing!!

**Previously:**

All of them are silent. Mikan is still in shock.

"okay then, let's go to the audition hall," ruka said,

"and by the way, natsume, you'll be one of the judges,"

"hn,"

"I'll take that as a yes,"

They all head to the audition hall, upon arrival, they become shock, the audition hall is full of young ladies, and all are hoping to be choose by the strict and not to mention high maintenance judges.

**End of chapter three**

**Chapter four: auditions?**

mikan along with hotaru, anna, and nonoko are sitting patiently with thousands of girls ages 16-17.

"can they finish testing all of these girls?" mikan asks, looking around, expecting a decent answer but nothing came.

"hey," anna said getting the girls' attention.

"isn't that sumire and Luna?!" she continues.

"OMG!!" nonoko exclaims, "are they really gonna join this contest?"

"maybe. it's okay though, they don't stand a chance to this baka youjo," hotaru confidently replies.

"what is you're plan anyway, you know that I wont be showing such talents that I have right?" she said

"then if you're not going to show any of your hidden talents, I guess I have no choice," she said in such an evil voice, sending chill at the girls' spine.

She takes out four pictures, mikan, anna, and nonoko carefully examine it and ended out laughing. Those pictures are mikan's pictures.

First picture (the one anna is holding) - is her picture when she was three, she's only wearing a diaper and she's holding a mic, from the looks of it, she was dancing and singing. Her hair is a mess.

Second picture (the one nonoko is holding) - is her picture when she was seven, she was about to hug hotaru but she stepped side wards, causing mikan to bump with a co-student which is carrying a pile of large and heavy books.

Third picture (the one mikan is holding) – a picture the last Christmas party. Mikan and thought that it's going to be a costume party so she wore a bloody dead bride.

Fourth picture (the one hotaru is holding) – a picture two years ago, when mikan slept at her house, she was sleeping in the picture, wearing a mini skirt and spaghetti strap blouse, she is sucking her thumb, her poor pillow, wet from her saliva…

"where did you get these?" she said furiously.

"at you're house, while your taking a bath a while ago," a certain black mailer replies

"what?!" she shouts, getting everyone's attention.

"ahehehehe, my bad, just continue what you are doing," she nervously said. Sumire and Luna suddenly walk up to her and said

"don't tell me you're gonna join this contest?" sumire said In a bitchy voice.

"don't you know that this contest is for beautiful young ladies only?" Luna continues

"so what if Im gonna join? Its none of you're damn business," mikan retorts back

"but that doesn't mean that just because you look like chikako misawa, you will win this contest ugly," sumire shots back

"what did you just call her?" hotaru said

"UGLY!" they both reply in unison

"why don't you look at yourself before insulting others huh? You look like old hags, and if I said old, I really mean it." She replies, smirking in the process.

"beat that!" mikans tease, sticking her tongue out

"hmp!" was they reply as they walk pass them.

Anna and nonoko was silent during the whole time, while the other girls start whispering about mikan,

"she really looks like chikako-sama" one of the girls said (she is addressed as sama because of her incomparable beauty and intelligence)

"_do I really look like my half-sister??" _she asks to herself.

"mikan! mikan!" anna and nonoko called for the fifth time, waving their hands in front of blank face, obviously staring into space.

"ha-ha?!" she replies, snapping back from her little daydream

"I said, four more people and you'll be up!" they said in unison

"oh-okay!" she replied

"uhm, what should I do anyway? Sing, dance, what?" she asks hotaru

"just do what you're heart tells you too,"

"okay!"

"mikan-chan! Sugoi!! Good luck!!" the two girls said, as mikan prepares herself.

"okay!"

"be yourself baka,"

"meanie!"

"uhm, miss sakura? Can you come up here please?" the emcee said

Mikan stands up, and was assist to a small but spacious tent. She goes inside it. Her heart is pounding, she is catching her breath, and she can feel hot blood rising up to her pale cheeks. She head her way near them, and hand out the requirements.

"so mikan sakura, what is you're talent?" Kira asks, (judge no.1)  
"uhm, you can just ask me to do what you want, 'cause I really don't know what I can do," she said nervously

"miss sakura, I must say, you're such a unique girl," Haruhi said (judge no.2)

"ahehehehe, thank you ms. Haruhi fujitoka"

"just look at her records, a straight A student, a great musical instrument player," Haruhi continued

"what else can you do?" kyo asks (judge no.3)

"uhm, Im also a black belter in karate, at the age of 12, I manage to graduate from a famous culinary school, and Im currently studying foreign languages, and I can also sing and dance," she said with full confidence.

"okay then, can you just girl us a sample?" yusuke said (judge no 4)

"sa-sample?"

"hai!" they all replied.

"o-okay then…"

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

Taylor Swift I'd Lie Lyrics 

I don't think that passenger seat  
Has ever looked this good to me  
He tells me about his night  
I count the colors in his eyes

Don't ever fall in love  
He swears, as he runs his fingers through his hair  
I'm laughing 'cause I hope he's wrong  
And I don't think it ever crossed his mind  
He tells a joke, I fake a smile  
But I know all his favorite songs

And I could tell you  
His favorite color's green  
He loves to argue  
Born on the seventeenth  
His sister's beautiful  
He has his father's eyes  
And if you ask me if I love him..  
I'd lie

He looks around the room  
Innocently overlooks the truth  
Shouldn't I like your walk  
Doesn't he know that I've had it memorized for so long

He sees everything in black and white  
Never let nobody see him cry  
I don't let nobody see me wishing he was mine

I could tell you  
His favorite color's green  
He loves to argue  
Born on the seventeenth  
His sister's beautiful  
He has his father's eyes  
And if you ask me if I love him..  
I'd lie

He stands there, then walks away  
My God, if I could only say  
I'm holding every breath for you

He'd never tell you, but he can play guitar  
I think he can see through everything but my heart  
First thought when I wake up is  
My God, he's beautiful  
So I put on my make-up and pray for a miracle

Yes I could tell you  
His favorite color's green  
He loves to argue  
Oh, and it kills me  
His sister's beautiful  
He has his father's eyes  
And if you ask me if I love him..  
If you ask me if I love him..  
I'd lie

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

All of them were dumb struck on how mikan's voice was. Even natsume and ruka are shock

"that was nice, I like you're voice! You're in!" Haruhi and yusuke compliments.

"thank you,"mikan simply said

"love it! You can be a celebrity you know," kyo said

"bravo! you're in darling!" Kira said, clapping.

"thank you everyone,"

"you forgot my opinion" a cold voice said, she was searching for its owner,

"Im here baka youjo," she was looking at him now, "_do he also thinks that I look like her?" _she thought

"I don't like you, you're out." He said casually as if it was a compliment he was saying

"then don't,"

"hn,"

"mikan, I didn't know you have such an angelic voice," ruka said out of the blue

"oh hi ruka-pyon! Are you also a judge?"

"yeah, and you're in!! you see majority wins"

"are you sure? It looks like he doesn't want me to be in here,"

"it's okay! He told that to every girl who make their way in here, you're in!"

"if you say so," as she gently takes a small pink paper ruka is handing out to her.

"thanks again!" she said bowing as she proceeds outside the small tent...

"I made it in!!" she shouts. loud enough for her friends to hear it

"sugoi mikan-chan!" the two girls said, pulling her into a hug

"that's nice baka!" hotaru compliments, patting her head

"moue, hotaru, Im not a child you know,"

"bleh!"

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

After that they go home to rest since it took them all day to have that chance to audition.

**Mikan's Room/ POV**

Today was the most tiring day ever! We all arrive there around 9 and I finished around 3 pm. I felt very nervous, I thought the judges will be mean to mean or anything, but I guess I was wrong. I was happy to be accepted, but honestly speaking I am afraid to fall deeper in love with my half-sister's fiancée, Im afraid that if he falls for me, he will just love me because I look exactly like her. But Im glad still, at least I'll be able to stay with that pervert, even for a little while. the part that I felt very nervous was the singing part, I never thought that they will make e sing. That pervert, he is so mean telling me that he doesn't like me. Hmp! Let's just see, I need to sleep early today cause I am so tired and tomorrow will be a new day, and one more thing "chi-san,(chikako) don't let me fall deeper in love with your fiancée, onegai." I need to tell hotaru about this tomorrow. After eating dinner, I went straight into my room and now, here I am pouring my innermost thoughts into the thin air surrounding my room, "please, I don't want to get hurt, not by…" I wasn't able to finish my sentence 'cause I unconsciously fell asleep.

**Natsume's room/POV**

This is my second worst day ever, aside form wasting my time voting those idiotic girls in or out, I become more bothered when I saw that mikan again. I'm afraid to fall in love again, not now, it's not the right time "chikako, is she you're sister or something?" I ask pertaining to no one. "she reminds me of you," I mumble under my breath as my crimson eyes starting to be heavy, "chikako," I mumble again, as I fall asleep.

**  
**

**¡¡¡¡ end of chapter three¡¡¡¡¡¡**

**A/n:**

I was able to update earlier than I expected. I stayed up all night because I can't fall asleep; a "matter" is making me confuse….hai!

Did you like it??

Gomene, it's short. I know

**Shattered hopes will be temporarily on HIATUS…**

Sorry guys!!  
read and review!!

Okay?

In addition, thank you so much for reviewing my chapter three!!! I appreciate it!!


	5. i have something to tell you

**Search for the next hyuuga bride**

**Disclaimer:** Doesn't and will not own Gakuen Alice or Alice academy, the only thing that is mine is the new characters and its plot!! No suing!!

**Previously:**

**Natsume's room/POV**

This is my second worst day ever, aside form wasting my time voting those idiotic girls in or out, I become more bothered aft6er seeing that mikan again. I'm afraid to fall in love again, not now, it's not the right time "chikako, is she you're sister or something?" I ask pertaining to no one. "she reminds me of you," I mumbled under my breath as I feel my crimson eyes starting to be heavy, "chikako," I mumbled again, as I fall asleep.**  
end of chapter four**

**Chapter five: I have something to tell you **

Three days after the auditions, mikan received a phone call telling her she should be at the hyuuga's mansion next week.

"miss sakura, you should be at the hyuuga mansion by next week, the contest will start after that."

"okay then, thanks you for notifying me," she said in a calm and respectful manner.

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

The next morning, she was silently walking with a raven haired girl. Today is a different day, she is acting pretty strange, she's not loud today, and she isn't pestering hotaru.

"what's wrong with this baka?" she thought.

"uhm," mikan said.

"why?"

"I have something to tell you." she said, looking downward.

"what is it about?"

"uhm,"

"spill it out..."

"me…" she is stammering

"huh?"

"me and chikako misawa are sisters, half-sisters…"

"what?!" she is shock internally but was able to keep her cold composure.

"uhm sorry for not telling you earlier hotaru, but yes, we are half-sisters." She said flatly

"how?"

"it all happened a long time ago…"

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**Flashback**

"seiji, I'm pregnant," chikako's mom, haruka said. Seiji didn't bulge, he was shock, and he never thought that after doing "it" I would turn out like this.

"uhm, I'm sorry haruka, but I can't take care of such responsibility yet. After hearing those words, haruka began crying, she never thought that this will end up like this.

"but-"

"Im sorry," as he turns his back walks away.

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**One year after**

"seiji dear, Im pregnant!!" mikan's mom said happily

"oh I see,"

"isn't that great?" he nods in agreement but then...

"yuka, I have something to tell you,"

"huh?"

"uhm, one year before, I -..." he is stammering he doesn't know how to explain it simply.

"continue..."

"I fathered someone else's child

Yuka is shock. She never thought that the man he lovers so much was able to betray her. She is crying her heart out as she punches his bare chest.

"I trusted you!!" she shouts...

"Im sorry,"

"but, but…"

"goodbye then, it seems like you despise me now,"

"no, don't go!" she shout as she watch his retreating back walking at the opposite direction.

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

In the end, yuka and seiji got together because when seiji Is about to take his fatherly responsibility to haruka, it turns out that she married another man, his long time suitor akira. Akira knew that she is pregnant and he said that he will gladly treated her like his own, she gave birth after sometime, and named the girl chikako misawa. She used misawa because that is akira's last name.

Timed passed and slowly yuka's heart began to heal, she never expected that such things can happen. Seiji took the responsibility and gladly asked her to be his wife. She agrees, and they got married. time passed she gave birth into a girl and named it mikan sakura.

**Seiji and yuka's conversation:**

"are we going to tell her that she has a half-sister?" yuka said, staring at the baby she's holding.

"we must, so that things won't be difficult for her when she grows up. There's a large possibility that they will bump along to each other." He seriously replies..

"well then, if you say so,"

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**Akira and Haruka's conversation:**

"should we tell her that she has a half sister?" akira asker worryingly.

"no," was her flat answer

"why?"

"I don't want her to suffer from my mistake, I just want her to have a happy life," she said, staring at a certain baby that is sleeping.

"but there's a chance that they will see each other someday, she'll get suspicious, Im sure." He said defensively

"we'll tell her if she asks, no more, no less," she said

"if you say so…

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

Then the said "meeting" came, one day mikan is on her way to school when she saw a girl who seems to be crying, mikan, being mikan approach the girl and was shock. "_she looks exactly like me," _the two lovely girls said, as they stare and study each other.

"uhm, are you okay? why are you crying?" mikan said in a warm way

"uhm, Im okay, it's just that Im seems to be lost. That's all, I can't find my way into new school." She said, trying to stop her hiccupping cries.

"what is your school anyway?" praying that her answer will be coda academy.

"coda academy," she replies while wiping her tears away. She jumps for joy causing to unconsciously hug the brunette girl.

"Im studying there too!" she said. Still hugging her, she was shock from her suddenly actions. Mikan broke the hug and smiles at her,

"sorry for that, my name is mikan, what's yours?" she said smiling warmly again to her

"uhm, chi-chikako misawa," she replies

"okay! nice to meet you, shall we?" she said,

"okay"

They walk their way to school together, it turns out that she is a year older form her meaning that she is fourth grader. She was disappointed by that, she thought that they will be classmates. The two made their way into the school. there at the gate, hotaru, anna and nonoko was waiting for her.

"guys!" mikan shouts, startling chikako

"you're late baka!"

"ohayou mikan-chan." Said the two girls

"I have a good reason for it though!" she said.

"spill it,"

"uhm, she's chikako, isn't it cute? We look exactly the same, as if she is my twin sister," she said,

"uhm, yeah mikan." they said except hotaru. Looking back and forth from mikan to chikako and back to her again

"you do look like the same! are you related?"

"no," they both answer.

"are you sure?"

"yes,"

"fine."

"just let's go inside. I still need to accompany her to her room, wanna come?"

"okay! And by the way nice to meet you,"

"oh sorry, I forgot to introduce myself, Im chi-chikako mi-misawa," she replies shyly.

"oh! Nice meeting you!" she just smiled at them.

They continue walking inside the school grounds, then they stopped in front of a classroom 4-A

"okay, here we are!" mikan said

"thanks you mikan, anna, nonoko and hotaru"

"you're welcome," the three girls answer

"hn," hotaru said

She humbly enters the room and after that mikan and the others made their way into third class

Two days after, when mikan and the others are waiting for chikako to come to school but she didn't come, at the end of school, they all decided to go and visit her, since mikan and chikako live close to each other. Then they found out that she transferred last night to another place. Not even bothering to leave a letter or tell them.

They all head home after that. mikan was sad that she left without saying anything.

"mikan, dinner's ready!" yuka shouted,

"Im not hungry mom," she said, her voice crackling a little.

The couple ate their dinner without mikan, yuka is starting to worry so she decided to talk to her.

"mikan honey, can I come in?"

"ha-hai," her voice still crackling

She opens the door slowly and enters. She lets herself sit next to her daughter who is under the blanket

"what's the matter baby?"

"I met someone, she looks exactly like me, we became friends but then she moved away," she still is crying and can't help herself to continue

"looks exactly like you?"

"yes, but she's a year older. the school even thought that we are sisters or twins," she said, chuckling

"uhm, mikan you need to know something," her tone became suddenly serious

"what is it mom?"

"uhm, the girl that you told me just now, is a year older right?" she said, confirming it. She nods in reply then

"she's you're half-sister," she said flatly while looking at mikan, waiting for her reaction. She was shock after that but was able to absorb the sudden information

"tell me mom, how? why?" she said

Yuka told her everything, about her mom and dad's affair and how did they became half-sisters. She as expecting that a day will come that they can see each other again but that day never came. After that she didn't hear anything about her half-sister, until her death.

"chikako-oneesan, watch over me, I didn't know we are sisters, irony eh?" she said particularly to no one.

**End of flashback**

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

As mikan narrates her story, all hotaru can do is to listen. she was shock along the way, but manages to keep her composure. They arrive at their school, and continue walking inside its school premises, they stop and enter their classroom.

"so that's it?" hotaru said, as if there is something more to be said

"yeah, aren't you even a little surprised?"

"no,"

"fine, Im sorry that I wasn't able to say it to you any sooner,"

"its okay, at least you told me that, as long as you will tell me when the right time comes."

"but, do you still want to join the contest?"

"eh, about that…"

"why?"

"uhm, Im just going to say this once okay, so listen," she said in a threatening way.

"just spill it,"

"after what happened to me and hyuuga, Im always have this pounding, weird feeling, whenever those kisses or I tripping plays into my mind, my heart starts beating fast, as if it's going to skip a beat, and I start blushing for no reason at all."

"oh, and knowing you, you don't know what it is," she said in a matter of fact tone

"so do you know it?" she said hoping that her answer will be yes

"yes," she coldly replies

"what is it? what is it?" she asks, jumping up and down

"feeling of LOVE"

"love?"

"yeah, love, this happens when you have feelings for someone. You're heart start pumping, as if as you said, gonna skip a beat, and whenever you're with that person, you blush or you can't think straight."

"ooh…"

"so," she said

"what? Oh, Im starting to doubt myself, maybe I was able to enter this contest just because he sees onee-san to me, that's all," she said in a worried tone.

"so do you want to back out?"

"uhm, I'll think about it,"

"okay,"

After that conversation, the class started and ended soon too. They all head home except for mikan. she went straight into the mall by herself just to go and walk around.

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**At the mall**

**Mikan's POV**

I am walking alone inside the mall's premises, wondering what will happen next. I wonder what it feels to be in love. Is it nice? Do all relationships have a happy ending? What will be the limit of it? Will you give everything when you love someone? I am so confuse right now, I've been thinking about natsume this past few days, should I tell him, or should I hold back? It must be hard for him to remember his past, "oneesan, why did you die?" I asked myself and before I forget I still need to say my apology to him.

**End of POV**

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**Natsume's POV (warning: may contain OOC)**

I am walking alone inside the mall's premises, majority of the people walking together are sweethearts, I can tell because if their not holding hands, they're all mushy and stuff. Honestly speaking I am disturb. After seeing that girl a couple of times. I can't sleep well, I am always thinking of her in a way. That kiss, the mall incident, all of them keeps playing on my mind every night. As days pass, my habit of blaming and reminiscing about my bloody past continue to diminish. I need to say my sorry, or ruka will pester me again. "am I falling in love again? or am I only infatuated to the idea that she looks like chikako?" I ask myself. As days pass by, so are my feelings, I wasn't sure if it was true that I am falling for a girl like her, but what will happen if they are twins or sisters? Then maybe I can't fall for a girl like her. they might think that Im taking away their precious daughters from them. recently, things has been giving me a lot of headaches, I cant stop thinking about that girl, I cant think straight, my heart is pounding every time I remember those kisses and moments with her, and chikako. Lately, I've been dreaming of this girl, who is a little shorter than I am, but has that look in her eyes which is telling me that I'll be happy with her. Her hair is brunette, and is always smiling warmly at me. "who are you" that is what I always ask to her but the answer I always get is her warm smile and a small whisper "you'll meet me soon,"

**End of POV **

"_I wish I could see that person"_ they both mutter under their breath.

Mikan suddenly bumps into someone, and quickly say her sorry, she looks up to see who it was she bumped into, her eyes suddenly became big, obvious that she is shock. It was natsume hyuuga.

"_what a coincidence,"_ they both thought.

"uhm, sorry, I didn't mean to," she said, stammering along the way

"just be careful next time," he said not in a cold manner

"hai! gomene," she said once more. She turns around to continue strolling inside the mall, but then natsume said something or rather whispered something

"where is your best friend?"

"uhm, she doesn't know that I am here, she went home after school," she said, trying to avoid the stare natsume is giving her

"oh I see, are you hungry?" he said, _"wait?! am I asking her for dinner?" _he thought.

"uhm, no, not really," she shyly replies "_is he asking me to dinner?"_

"oh I see, a-are you alone?" he said "_of course she's alone baka! She's not with someone!!" _his mind screams at him.

"yeah…" she said

"uhm, why don't we just eat?!" he said stubbornly, dragging mikan with him

"wait, what? It's just 6 pm..." she whined, trying to get out form his grasp

"I know, and Im hungry,"

"oh,"

They went inside the restaurant "Adieu!" They are sitting at the very far end, and calls the waiter to state their order.

"konbanwa, what would you like to order?" the waiter said

"just give me two plates of lasagna and 2 iced teas please," natsume said in a calm manner

"hai, is that all?"

"hai."

The waiter left, leaving the two alone, silence is slowly engulfing them, and neither of them doesn't want to break the silence growing between them.

"u-uhm," mikan said, trying to stare at him

"what is it?" he said

"I just wanna say Im sorry, I didn't mean to say those harsh words to you, I was shock and was carried away by my anger, sorry," she said, standing up and bowing in front of him.

"its okay," he whispered to himself,

"_I guess he's still angry"_ she thought

"just take your seat," he said nonchalantly.

"but you're still angry with me, I can't" she said

"its okay," he said. Hearing those words made mikan happy causing her to involuntarily hug natsume. she is shock, and so was he.

"_oh my," _she thought

She quickly broke the hug as she realizes what she just did. She said her sorry once more and sits. Her heart starts pounding once more and she can feel hot blood rising to her pale cheeks. While Natsume is still sitting dumbstruck on what had just happened.

"_what is this feeling?"_ he thought

"_I can't hold back" _she thought.

The waiter suddenly came into the picture, he carefully gave the costumer's orders and left. There was silence once again. They are eating quietly when suddenly…

**S-P-L-A-S-H**

Mikan's school uniform is dripping wet, she unconsciously slid the glass of water from her grip.

"oh god," she thought. beginning to panic, she grabs the nearest piece of cloth or tissue and wipes it against into her wet skirt and shirt. Natsume stood up and pulls something from his pocket

"here, use this," he said

She looked up to see what it was, it was his handkerchief.

"is it okay?"

"I won't mind" she gently took it from his grasp and wipes it to her shirt and skirt.

Natsume paid their food and head their way home,

"wait, let's go here," he said. Pulling her inside a store

"girls like us?!" she said, giving him a quizzical look.

As they enter that store…he whispered something, for her ears to hear only.

"pick what you like, and I'll but it for you, you're soaking wet, you might catch a cold," he said, blushing slightly

"_did I just see him blush?! I must be seeing things," _she thought.

"but, it's expensive in here, and besides, its okay, its just a little damp, no need to buy me new clothes." "just pick something, I don't want you to catch cold"

"are you sure?"

"go ahead"

she disappears for a while and came back with a shirt and a pair of jeans.

"here, thanks by the way," she said, blushing

"…"

Natsume again paid her clothes. she then went into the nearest bathroom to change her clothes. She went out from the bath room minutes after. she looks cute with her hair worn down.

"do you wanna go home now?" he said

"uhm, I'll just commute no need to take me home." she said.

"Im not that kind of man who will let a girl I know go home by themselves

"uhm but you done so many things for me, its enough for one day," she said looking down

"never mind that, I'll just take you home,"

"but,"

"no buts,"

They went outside the mall and into the parking lot, he opens the car door for her and she let herself in, he closes it, goes inside the other end of the car, opens his door, sits, and close. He then starts the engine and asks.

"where do you live?"

"uhm, just take the road going to coda academy and turn left," she said

"okay then,"

**¡¡¡¡¡♪♪♪¡¡¡¡¡**

**Fifteen minutes after**

A mild audible sound form the car's engine can be heard outside the sakura's as he parks in front of a big but simple house

"is this your house?" he said

"yeah, why?"

"nothing,"

"okay then, thanks for everything natsume,"

"hn,"

"wait, I'll open the door for you,"

He opens his door, runs to the other end of the car to open hers, she went out carefully trying not to trip herself, she walks pass by him, stops facing his back she whispered "oyasumi, and arigatou, I had fun," into his ear. He was silent after that, while all she can do is to stare,

"_what did I just do?" _

"oyasumi, mikan," he said, as he closes the passenger's door and run back to the driver's seat.

She head herself inside the house and closed the door, he was outside her house, inside his car thinking

"am I really falling for this girl?"

"natsume," she mutters.

**To be continue……**

**A/n:**

I was able to update earlier than I expected. I stayed up all night because I can't fall asleep; a "matter" is making me confuse….hai!

Did you like it??

Gomene, it's short. I know

**Shattered hopes will be temporarily on HIATUS…**

Sorry guys!!  
read and review!!

Okay?

In addition, thank you so much for reviewing my chapter three!!! I appreciate it!!

**Next chapter: **

chapter six: two days before the contest….

**Preview:**

"I just want to return this handkerchief that you let me borrowed,"

"are you and chikako related?"

"who is chikako?" she asked, playing dumb

"never mind,"


	6. two days before the contest

**Search for the next hyuuga bride**

**Disclaimer:** Doesn't and will not own Gakuen Alice or Alice academy, the only thing that is mine is the new characters and its plot!! No suing!!

**Previously:**

"oyasumi, mikan," he said, as he closed the passenger's door and run back to the driver's seat.

She head herself inside the house and closed the door, he is outside her house, inside his car thinking

"am I really falling for this girl?"

"natsume," she muttered.

**To be continue……**

**End of chapter five**

**Chapter six: two days before the contest**

She slid her back against the cold metal door behind her.

"this cant be,"

"mikan sakura," he mutters as he starts his car and drives away

"I need to prove to him that I and oneesan are different," she said to herself, as she opens the oak door if front of her.

"Im home!" she said out loud

"honey? Where have you been? And why are dressed like that?" her mother asks worriedly while examining her clothes

"mom, I called you right? I told that I am going to the mall," she said flatly, heading her way to her room.

"oh, hehehe I forgot, but why are your clothes like that?"

"uhm, nothing, never mind this," she stops, face her mom, and touch her jeans.

"okay then, wanna eat then?"

"no, Im going to bed,"

"oyasumi, mi-chi," her parents said

"oyasumi, okaa-san, otou-san"

She continue walking upstairs, she's tired after all, she gently opens the door, as if not wanting to wake someone up, lightly walks up to her twin size bed and sits. She let out a heavy sigh,

"is this what hotaru is talking about? Love? is this it?" she asks herself as she throws half of her body into her bed, she sighs again, places her arm on top of her hot forehead and said…

"what now? what will happen next? should I tell him??"

"onee-san, I told you not to let me fall for him right? Why can't you grant my wish? It will be hard, for me, for him, I just know it," she shouts.

**KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-**

"mikan, honey, are you okay?"

"why are you shouting mikan?"

"no, its fine, Im just practicing my lines for my English play,"

"oh I see, oyasumi,"

"and sleep now mikan, you'll be late again tomorrow,"

"hay!"

She soon falls asleep, she wasn't able to change her clothes, and then she fell into a dream,

**Mikan's Dream/POV**

As I drift farther into my deep slumber, I suddenly had a dream. About a girl wearing a plain white dress sitting in the middle of a field filled with pink hydrangeas which she is carefully picking. I head my way closer to her and she stops, she stands up, walking closer to me, I sharpen my eyesight more. I am shock. my eyes are wide, and Im gaping. She stares at me and said

"everything will be fine,"

I am still holding that shock look into my face. then she looks up to me, she is staring intently into my auburn eyes, examining it.

"onee-…"

"are you happy?" she suddenly asks

"huh?"

"are.you.happy?"

I smile at her, she smiles back then she whispers,

"just be careful with your fragile heart, lil sister,"

She's smiling at me. then all of a sudden she pulls my hand closer to her and pulls me into a hug. I am crying in my dream, and she is too. she then whispers

"mikan, just follow your heart,"

"what do you mean?"

"…"

She broke the hug, and looks at me again, her eyes which are filled with loneliness and discontentment are now handling the complete opposite of it was before, causing me to stop my childish act.

"I'll always, look after you,"

"I miss you so much" is the only thing I am able to say.

She then gently grabs my hand and signals me to open it. I followed her, she then drops a pink hydrangea into my trembling hands, and she hugs me once more and said

"I'll be going now,"

"where are you going?" I ask

"…"

She didn't bother answering my question, she just turn her back on me and starts walking away. I am shouting her name out loud yet she didn't glance or look back. Then after sometime, the field disappears and the only thing that was left was the flower she gave to me. I held it tight, not wanting to loose the only thing she gave to me. I held it closer into my chest and said

"thank you,"

**End of dream/POV**

Mikan woke up from her slumber sweating and tear stained. she quickly reaches for a glass of water in her side table.

"is it true? The dream?" she said to herself.

She opens her hand, which her onee-san dropped the flower to, she suddenly cry and said

"thank you," particularly to no one.

"I'll always look after you," she then said.

She stood up looks at her mokona alarm clock, 4am, it says. in addition, her class will start around 7:45 am.

"its still early, better get going I guess," she thought.

She slowly proceed herself downstairs. first, she washes her clothes that she wore yesterday, including his white hanky. Second, she cooks their breakfast, namely egg, bacon, rice, and toasted bread. Then, she proceeded upstairs to iron her dry and last pair of uniform. Then she takes a warm bath. Thirty minutes after She goes out from the bathroom. grabs her uniform which is laying neatly into her bed, goes back to the bathroom, and change her clothes. minutes after she goes outside from the bathroom fully dress, her hair worn down. Again, she go downstairs to eat her breakfast, there her mom and dad is sitting quietly into their spacious couch, as if waiting for her.

"you woke early today honey," her dad said

"mi-chi, did do you all of these?"

She nods in agreement and heads herself into her chair, she sits there all quiet and eats her breakfast…she was finish minutes after, she then proceeds outside to their garden to fetch the clothes she hanged a while ago. She went inside, closes the glass door behind her, and goes upstairs. Inside her room, she calmly opens the pink colored door cabinet and stuffs her dry clothes she washed a while ago. The hanky, she is holding it, examining it carefully, trying to replay the scene that happened a while yesterday as her held out his hanky for her.

"might as well bring this," she said faintly, stuffing the white crumpled hanky inside her black and pink school bag.

She then again goes downstairs, wears her black pair of shoes located near their door and shouts "Im leaving!"

She slides the glass door in front of her, closes it. Skips through the large gray pebbles in their garden, opens the metal door in front of her then closes it again.

"_Im still early, but, its okay! I can see hotaru earlier today!"_ smiling at the thought.

**Meanwhile...**

Natsume was driving all by himself going home. He was silent for the entire ride. Upon arrival, he quickly park his car into an open space and runs straight into his room. He didn't even bother greeting his father. he enters his room quietly, and quickly throws himself into his big, soft bed.

"what is this huh?" he asks himself, looking at his left hand which he used to drag the brunette a while ago.

"the contest will start within 2 days…" **(A/n: you may be wondering how he knew, well here it is….)**

**Flashback:**

Before he went to the mall, he received a phone call from ruka,

"what is it that you want ruka??" he asked in a nonchalant voice.

"uhm, I need to tell you something,"

"what is it??"

"uhm about the audition last week…"

"I know ruka, no need to tell me…"

"huh? you mean you know??"

"yeah,"

"Im sorry,"

"yeah, I know, it's alright, I know you're just worried for me, but don't do it again, okay??"

"okay, gomene,"

"well, tell me about it, the rules, and everything,"

"uhm, actually, I don't have any idea, just talk to hotaru about it, why don't you go to her school tomorrow, after school??"

"huh? is that so, fine, I need to prepare myself then,"

"anyway, how did you know???"

"I'll do the same if you're at my place ruka," he said in a warm voice.

"oh…"

"okay then, I'll talk to you tomorrow, do you want to come tomorrow with me??"

"no because Im going to be busy, for the contest,"

"oh, I see, oyasumi,"

"oyasumi,"

**End of flashback**

The other line was dead... silence even engulfs him more. he is lying into his bed quietly, looking at the ceiling...

"what will happen now?"

He didn't pay much attention to his surroundings now, all he was thinking is mikan and chikako,

"are you two related?" he asks to no one.

"I've been dreaming about this girl, who is she?" "you'll meet me soon," he said, repeating what the girl said in his dream. As he spends his night silently, little by little his senses begins to fade away, his eyes, getting heavier by the minute, in the end he falls asleep, and had a dream.

**Natsume's dream/POV**

As I fall deeper into my peaceful slumber I saw this girl sitting at a branch of a sakura tree in a huge field of pink hydrangeas. the girl I was looking at was holding a bunch of stargazer lilies. The girl in plain white dress jumps down from the branch, she's still staring at me, and I carefully look at her. I was shock. The girl standing in front of me was indeed my fiancée chikako. I called her name gently. she looks up with me with a smile and said…

"how are you Nat?"

"chi-chikako?" I said, I couldn't believe what I am seeing in front of me.

"yeah?" she replies sweetly

"…"

"Nat, I want to yell you something," she said

"what is it? Why did you leave me?" many questions start popping inside my head that I don't even know what to ask first.

"Nat, I didn't want to leave you, I just want to protect you, and …" she stops

"protect me? from what huh?" I retort back, my voice getting louder and louder.

"Nat, just follow you're heart, I'll be always here to look after you, and to protect you from harm," she said in a calm voice.

"smile for me again, chikako," I unconsciously said. She smiles at me once more. I am happy, seeing her like that, even from a small period of time. Im glad.

"open you're heart again Nat, she's close to you," she said to me.

"what do you mean?"

"the girl you've been dreaming about"

"…"

"she will help you heal your broken heart." she states in a matter of fact voice.

"huh? what do you mean?" I ask. My voice giving a questioning tone.

"just open up you're heart Nat, then she'll come knocking. Then after that, don't let her go, you'll have my blessing then,"

I didn't reply to what she said. I just look at her. She then kneels down, she gently picks a pink hydrangea. She stands up again and signals me to open my hands. I did what she told me to she then drops the flower into my hands and turns back, she is walking away from me again. I called her name. once. Twice. However, she didn't bother to look back or even glance. Seconds after her retreating back was gone. I look at the flower she gave me and called her name in a faint voice "chikako"…

**End of Dream and POV**

His crimson eyes are widely open. He looks at his surrounding hoping to find chikako but disappointment quickly filled his heart as soon as realize that it was only a dream. He then opens his hand and is shock to see something. The pink hydrangea chikako gave her was in his hand. His face is carrying an amaze look

"was it only a dream? Or did she really visit me?"

"who is that girl?" he asks himself.

He wasn't able to sleep after that. Its only 5 am and his classes will start around 8.

"three more hours," he said to himself as he stands up. He then precede to the bathroom to take a warm and relaxing shower.

"maybe it's only a hallucination," he said to himself, trying to convince him that it is impossible for a dead person to visit you and left something behind.

He opens the door of his humongous bathroom, closes it as he enters and dips himself into the bath tub filled with lukewarm water.

An hour after, he went out from the bathroom fully dress. _"six o' clock huh?"_ he thought.

"better get going then," he leaves early and drives himself to coda academy.

**Thirty minutes after,**

He stops at an open space near coda academy. He got off from his black Mercedes car and flips his hair.

"Im just gonna wait for imai," he thought.

**Ten minutes after…**

Footsteps are audible from a far. It seems like the students of coda academy are arriving. He arranges himself. His black pants, his white polo, and black tie. Everything was arranged perfectly. Then a girl who is panting hardly stop in front of him.

"na-natsume?"

"mi-mikan?!" he asks in a shock voice

"ohayou!" she cheerfully greets

"o-ohayou," he replies in a faint voice.

"why are you here? In this hour?"

"uhm, I need to ask something from imai"

"oh, I see,"

"you?"

"I woke up early, so I had plenty of time to prepare,"

"oh,"

Mikan remembers the handkerchief, she quickly pulls it out form her bag, holds it tight, and bows

""I just want to return this handkerchief that you let me borrowed, arigatou." still bowing

"it okay, you're welcome,"

**S-I-L-E-N-C-E-**

"uhm, can I ask you something?" he said out of the blue

"ha-hay!"

"are you and chikako related?"

She chokes at his question and laughs nervously

"who is chikako?" she replies, acting all dumb and innocent

"never mind,"

"…"

"uhm," she is playing with her fingers...

"huh?"

"uhm, do you also think that I and that chikako looks exactly the same?"

"why did you ask? I thought you don't know her?"

"uhm, my classmates, they showed me a picture of her. They also told me that we look like twins," chuckling at the idea. He carefully examines her, he is looking at her from head to toe.

"ye-yes, actually you remind me of her, that's why I asked you a while ago," he said flatly, avoiding her melting stare. Her heart was shattered into millions of pieces after hearing his answer, she felt like being stab directly into her heart

"oh, I see," "_I shouldn't have expected such high and impossible things," she thought._

"oi! you okay?"

"uhm, yeah," faking a smile

"_what happened to her? She suddenly became down" _he thought.

"mikan-chan!" a high pitch voice shouts

She turns around. It was anna and nonoko with hotaru.

"ohayou!" she shouts back, waving at them

"you're so loud." He said

"…"

"_did I offend her? Wait! Why am I worried?"_

"o-ohayou! natsume!" anna and nonoko greets

"hn."

"hotaru!!! ohayou!!" mikan shouts, making hotaru irritated

"you're so loud baka!" she then saw natsume

"mikan-Chan! you're so early today!" the pink headed girl said

"ahehehehe"rubbing the back of her head

"did something happened?" the blue haired maiden asks.

"uhm, I had a dream, "she" visited me in my dream last night, she even gave me this," she explains, pulling the small pink hydrangea chikako gave.

"what the?!" natsume thought. Looking at the flower mikan is currently holding

"so she visited you last night huh?" she nods.

"woah! mikan-chan! That's weird,"

"I know, but in a way, it's sweet,"

"e-ehem,"natsume interrupts

"oh I see you're here, what do you want?" the raven haired gal asks

"I need to talk to you,"

"spill it."

"in this type of place? I don't think so"

"is it about the contest then?" he nods

"how did you know?" she asks. Amazed

"Im not that dumb you know."

"you're smarter than I thought."

"tch,"

"what are you guys talking about?"

"nothing."

"tch,"

"hey baka! Just go ahead with anna and nonoko, I'll follow you two,"

"okay then Ja!"

"that baka..."

"anyway," natsume resumes

"what are the rules of your so called contest?"

"you'll know it on Friday."

"tch,"

"I just wanna advise you on something,"

"what is it?"

"bring plenty of patience with you, coz a lot of girl will be tailing you 24/7."

"huh?"

"…"

"Im out of here." He said, turning his back on hotaru

"good luck then."

He was gone. He drives himself home. He didn't go to his school.

**Classroom**

"I wonder what they are talking about."

"mikan-Chan, the contest will start in 2 days right?"

"huh? Maybe."

"what do you mean?"

"Im thinking not to join anymore."

"nani?!"

"…"

"hotaru, mikan said that she doesn't want to join anymore."

"let her be."

"are you serious?"

Their teacher then arrives, and announce that this is going o be their free day.

She went immediately on the rooftop. She stood there, near the bars and whispers

"why does it hurt so much? So what if I look like her? If he reminds me of her?"

The gentle blowing wind was the only thing she can talk to right now.

"baka…"

She turns around and sees hotaru standing behind her, looking at her.

She runs up to her and hugs her. She started crying like there will be no tomorrow.

"ho-ta-ru…"

"what are you crying about baka?!"

"he told me-tha-that, a-I remind him of-ne-nee-san." Hiccupping between

"…"

"she looks up to hotaru, she's smiling at mikan.

"it will be alright."

"huh?"

"trust me…"

"but-"

"I'll make sure, you'll be happy, baka."

She broke the hug and sits at the cold floor. So did her best friend. Her brunette hair flowing along with the blowing air. She whispers once more

"onee-san,"

**To be continued…**

**Next chapter:**

Chapter seven: the day before the contest

**Preview:**

"mikan-chan,"

"Im fine guys, don't worry,"

"why am I still thinki9ing of her?"

"and why am I so guilty of making her sad?"

**A/n:**

I know it's a cliffie and gomene!!  
I know that this chappie is boring and corny...

Thanks to the songs "only reminds me of you," and "Im a little bit," I was able to write this chapter.

And for watching full moon wo sagashite….

Anyway,

Did you like it??

Gomene, it's short. I know

**Shattered hopes will be temporarily on HIATUS…**

Sorry guys!!  
read and review!!

Okay?

**In addition, thank you so much for reviewing my chapter four and five!! I appreciate it!!**

arya21

'miyuki-chan07'

Petalsarefallingxoxo

love2jj2bluegurl96

natsume-meg93

sakura-hime18

helltishL0Ve

aprilXXX

Kimiko-Sakura

mangamanic1234

Cutenatsumexmikan

Dominiqueanne

truc.mi

kaye2bu

-happy-neko-

Konnie

mae2605


	7. one day before the contest

**Search for the next hyuuga bride**

**Disclaimer:** Doesn't and will not own Gakuen Alice or Alice academy, the only thing that is mine is the new characters and its plot!! No suing!!

**Previously:**

"he told me-tha-that, a-I remind him of-ne-nee-san." Hiccupping between

"…"

"she looks up to hotaru, she's smiling at mikan.

"it will be alright."

"huh?"

"trust me…"

"but-"

"I'll make sure, you'll be happy, baka."

She broke the hug and sat at the cold floor. So did her best friend. Her brunette hair flowing along with the blowing air. She whispered once more

"onee-san,"

**To be continued…**

**End of chapter 6**

**before reading..you might as well cosider re-reading the other chappies..coz i revised them the other night...i just added some stuff in it,...ahehehehe**

**Chapter seven: the day before the contest…**

_continuing from the last chappie…_

"oi, the contest will start tomorrow, are you gonna join or what?"

"uhm, what do you think?"

"what do you mean what do I think?! I don't need to decide for you, you decide for yourself." She said a little annoyed. That's one thing hotaru doesn't like about mikan, aside form being loud she hates it when she will asks for someone's opinion and follows it. She always relies her decision with someone else's. She always ask for other's opinion if she can't make up her mind, and in the end, even though she doesn't like it, she will do what ever other's said.

"…"

"mi-…"

"I'll tell you later, let's go," she said while standing up, dusting her skirt while reaching her hand out to hotaru. She grabs mikan's hand and stands up.

"thanks," she said. She smiles in return, they are walking hand in hand when somebody appears from now where. Wanting to ruin her happy moment, she intentionally bumps her shoulder to mikan's, and all she did was to glare in return.

"would you mind?!" she said, her eyebrows meeting...

"oh, if it isn't the little slutty bitch who went to the audition last time?" sumire said, smirking.

"so what do you call yourself huh?? if I am a bitch, what are you then?" she retorts back.

"joining the contest because she is obsess with that natsume," she continues as she eyes sumire's fuming face.

"stop it, baka," hotaru scolds. Signaling mikan to continue walking, She stops and turns her back to the speechless sumire, but when she was about to open the door, sumire shouts something "come back here, you bitch! im not done with you yet,"

She turns around giving her a "the look" then shrugs,

"let's go hotaru," while her best friend nods.

"grrr! That sakura! She's such a slut!" said the fuming sumire, stumping her feet against the cold hard floor.

"what's your problem huh, sumire?" luna said, giving her an irritated look

"when did you get here?" she said in a calmer voice

"none of your business, anyway, the contest is going to begin tomorrow right? So do you have a plan?"

"plan? huh?" she said, giving her a confuse look

"yeah! plan to make mikan sakura's life a living hell while we are inside the mansion," she said, grinning evilly.

"oh, I see…let's plan this…" they are whispering and chuckling evilly at each other,

"this I gonna be good! be prepare mikan sakura!" they said in unison, both are laughing evilly.

**Back to the class…**

"are you alright mikan?? your eyes are red and puffy, did you cry??" anna said worryingly

"no, Im okay guys don't worry." She said reassuring them.

"are you sure?" nonoko said. She nods then all of them were silent.

"why don't we go home?" mikan said in a calm and faint voice

"huh? So we're gonna skip classes?"

"kind of," she said flatly

"but-…"

"then don't."

"hotaru, are you going with me?" she said, smiling at her. Hotaru shook her head slowly and said

"no." flatly

"why?"

"I cant, we have a test right?"

"but today's is our free time, we can even go home if we want to," she said

"but-…"

"then don't, I'll just go home by myself,"

"but-…"

"mi-chan,"

"its fine by myself, don't come if you don't want to,"

"fine then, you're being stubborn again," hotaru said, giving her an irritated look.

"hmp, fine I'll go home by myself then,"

"then go," hotaru said.

She turns her back and walks away, anna and nonoko was about to run after her but hotaru stop them.

"let her go, she's just frustrated," she said in a cold voice

"but-…"

"give her some time alone,"

"tomorrow, the contest will start right? is she even gonna join?"

"I don't know," she said flatly, as they eye mikan's retreating back

"uh…"

**Outside the school…**

"those idiots," she mutters

"better go to the mall and buy some clothes,"

"miss," a tall brown headed boy with striking black eyes came up to her.

She turns around and said "huh?" smiling

The poor lad was blushing madly, but mikan didn't even notice it.

"uhm, Im kind of lost. Can you help me?" he said as he smiles warmly to our naïve brunette.

"yeah sure, what is it that you're looking for anyway?" she asks, nearing herself into him causing the poor lad to be more and more nervous.

"uh, eto, uhm, can you just tell me where coda academy is?"

"co-coda academy?" said mikan, as she looks up to the lad's handsome face.

"ha-hai." He replies while stammering and at the same time rubbing the back of his head. getting more and more conscious on what is happening between the two of them.

"who is this girl anyway? why is my heart won't stop pounding?" he thought.

"anyway,"mikan said, unintentionally snapping him from his little daydream.

"ha-hai?"

"uhm, well, I study at co-coda academy…so me-maybe I-I can take you there," she said shyly.

"she's so cute. wait what?! what did I just said?!" screaming inside his mind.

"here, let me take you there," she said in a very friendly way. As she reaches her hand out.

"ha-hai!" he said, as he gently holds her hand.

Mikan and the lad was walking quietly back to coda academy. when suddenly…

**T-H-U-D**

Mikan was unconscious. The lad was panicking. He was carrying her bridal style when he suddenly sees coda academy. He quickly rushes himself inside, asks help, and goes straight to the infirmary.

Minutes after…

"is she alright?" the mysterious lad asks.

"yeah, she's just a little feverish and tired, that's all," the nurse calmly states.

"oh I see, can she go home then?" he asks worryingly

"yeah, when she wakes up, you can assist her home,"

"huh?!eh!! but I don't even know her name!" he defends

"then ask her later okay? I'll leave you two then," she said

"bu-but-.."

**S-I-L-E-N-C-E-**

Ten minutes after…

"onee.. o... nee…" she said, she was sweating heavily.

"mi-miss," the lad said

Her coffee hue eyes are opening, as she clears her vision all she can see was a blurred image of a lad with brown hair and striking black eyes are standing in front of her. His face inches apart from hers….and still nearing...

"eh?!!!!!!!" the brunette shouts, her eyes as wide as plates, her face carrying a stiff look.

"eh?" the lad said. obvious that he wasn't aware of what he was doing.

"what are you doing??"

"uh.eto-.."

"spill it,"

"I don't know."

"what do you mean you don't know? you... you just tried to ki-ki-kiss me!" she said, being more and more frustrated by the minute

"sumimasen."

"hn,"

"gomene!! please forgive me miss,"

"why should I?" she said, pouting

"coz...coz..."

"what?" getting impatient

"coz I don't know your name."

"eh??"

"anyway, Im Hiroto. Hiroto Chiyase." He said in a sweet voice

"Im mikan, mikan sakura."

"hay! Nice to meet you then, sakura-san,"

"me too. And don't call me sakura-san, just call me mikan," she replies, smiling warmly at him.

"ha-hai. Just call me whatever you want."

"okay! hiro-kun."

"hiro-kun?" she nods.

She got up, talk to the nurse and was about to go home when...

"uhm, mikan, can I walk you home?"

"eh?"

"uhm, you're my first friend so..."

"okay then!" she said

They walk and walk. the trip is short yet enjoyable. They are laughing and chatting on the way when suddenly…

"na-natsume??" mikan whispers

"huh?"Hiroto said, glancing at the brunette who is staring at a boy standing in front of their house gate. Mikan still isn't sure who it was so she runs as fast as she can until she was able to reach their house gate...

"na-natsume?" she said as the raven hair lad looks at her.

"what are you doing in here?" she asks

"uhm, ano…"

"what is it?" looking intently at him

"uhm.sorryforwhatididawhileago." he said in a very swift way that mikan wasn't able to catch the message.

"what did you say? you sure talk fast."

"uhm..."

"what?"

"I won't repeat it…"

"eh?!"

"…"

"please,"

"no."

"pretty please..." she's now putting. Natsume is once again feeling the "weird" sensation he's been having this past few days." what's happening to me?" he asks himself

"mikan, I'll be going now," shouts Hiroto. Who is currently 2 feet away from the talking couple.

She turns around, and waves "bye hiro-kun! thanks by the way!!" he waves back, turns his back and walks at the opposite direction

"who the heck is that guy huh?" said a certain raven haired boy who currently have this little green monster inside him.

"what do you mean who is this guy huh?" she said irritably. It sounds to her that natsume dislikes hiro-kun.

"who is he then?" he said

"why are you acting like that huh? you act as if you are my boyfriend or something." She blurts out. He became silent after that then moments after she said "gomenasai."

"its okay, we really don't have that relationship anyway, why should I care." He said as coldly as possible.

Tears are forming into her eyes now, she was still quiet, and natsume was just standing in front of her, looking at her soon to be crying eyes.

"I didn't mean to compare you and chikako, its just like I see you in her that's all, Im sorry, if I offended you in a way," he said calmly getting mikan's attention.(**A/N:00c)**

"eh?" she said, looking up

"…"

"no, it's alright,"she said

"Gomen."

"ahehehehe" he is looking at her intently then her coffee hue eyes meets his striking red eyes. they both blush and look away.

"okay then, I'll be going," he said breaking the silence building in front of them

"matte!"

"you don't need to shout you know, Im still right here." He said, smiling inwardly.

"ehehehe, anyway, wanna come??"

"where?"

"to the mall, gonna buy clothes for tomorrow's contest."

"so you're going to impress and seduce me huh?" he teases, smirking.

"eh??!! nani?!!"

"haha." he was laughing

"are you laughing?"

"isn't it obvious?"

"but I never saw you laugh,"

"and now you did,"

"so are you coming or not?"

"will you mind?"  
"of course not,"

"okay then,"

He assists her into getting inside the car, and then drives their way to the mall. Upon arriving,

"hungry?"

"nope.you?"

"a little bit, hehehe" she replies shyly, laughing at her answers.

They then go to a little Chinese restaurant named "china, china". Eating quietly mikan's cell phone suddenly rings.

"ru-Chan?" she said

"so you're with hyuuga huh?"

"eh?! how did you know?" as she stands up from her sit, scanning the place frantically.

"you won't find me that easy girl,"

"eh?"

"bye!"

The line was cut after. Then natsume asks "who was that?"

"eto- hotaru..."

"why are you in such a fuss if that's only hotaru?"

"because she's in here, she know everything that we are doing right now,"

**MESSAGE! MESSAGE! MESSAGE! **Her phone said. She flips it up and reads it

"you look good together, follow your heart. From hotaru" the screen states

"eh?!!!!" she unconsciously shouts

"what is it?" asks natsume

She let natsume reads the message he then lets out a heavy sigh, both blushing they said in unison,

"so? what's the great fuss about this?"

After realizing that they both spoke at the same time they look at each other and laugh

They continue eating and chatting. Fifteen minutes aster they went out from the restaurant and starts shopping. They enjoy each others company, they have the same interest, they love this they love that.

"they should n't have organized that contest, I think I found her," he whispers to himself while looking at the smiling girl walking next to him.

"did you say something?" she asks.

"betsuni."

"soka..."

"they continue going here and there. Five pm there clock states.

"wanna go home?" she nods.

"can you close your eyes for a second?"

"nani?"

"gonna do something,"

"ha-hai."

Her eyes are tightly shut, he pulls something from his pocket, opens it and whispers something "open your eyes."

She did what she was told to, then she saw a sakura bracelet, ready to be wear.

"wow! kawaii!"

He pulls her left arm, encircles the bracelet and **CLICK **it was close

"is it for me?"

"are you a dummy?"

"…"

"let's go home," dragging her outside

"matte,"

**Outside…parking lot**

He once more assists her going inside the car. Five minutes after, they are on their way to mikan's house...

The ride was indeed silent no one else is talking nothing can be heard except for the music playing from the radio…

"were here," natsume said, as he pulls down in front of her house.

"…" he glance at her, the brunette is sleeping.

He looks at her intently, his heart pounding once more, "it won't hurt," he whispers.

He nears his handsome face at the sleeping girl's.

He was slowly closing the gap between them..

Stare..

Lean..

Lean..

Stare..

He was claiming her lips now "warm and soft, always," he thought

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Seconds after that, he parted his lips from her. He was still carrying this feeling

"calm down,"

"mikan, mikan,"he said in a faint voice, while tapping her shoulders.

"eh.. eh??" she said, her eyes gently and slowly opening.

"were here"

"ah…eh?"

"were here I said"

"hehehe"

"I fell asleep huh?"

"baka..."

"mou, natsume,"

"shush!"

"I'll be going then, thanks for accompanying me see you tomorrow," she said, as she goes out from the car

"yeah, yeah,"

She runs outside, stops and waves "see you!" then runs inside her house.

He drives off after that, as for mikan…

"what happen when I was sleeping? I felt something warm, ahehehe just dreaming!" she said, laughing.

"Im home!" she shouts...

"dinner's ready mikan-chan!"

"no, Im fine, Im going to bed now, Im tired."

"are you sure?"

"hai!"

"okay then"

"oyasumi,"

"oyasumi"

She went upstairs and as always opens the door in a careful manner..

"hai!" she said, tossing her body into her bed.

"tired,"

"the contest will be tomorrow then huh?!"

"mikan! gambatte!"

She was quiet after that, staring at the ceiling she then remembers the bracelet...

"natsume…" she mutters..

Little by little her senses shuts down..

Minutes after she was already sleeping.

Smiling while saying "natsume," in her dreams.

**A/n:**

Did you like it??

Gomene, it's short. I know

**Shattered hopes will be temporarily on HIATUS…**

Sorry guys!!  
read and review!!

Okay?

**In addition, thank you so much for reviewing my chapter six!! I appreciate it!!**

Claireponcherrii

lolita6othic

xXMeruPuriXx

'miyuki-chan07'

helltishL0Ve

aNiMe pRiNcEsS24

Kananoru

Petalsarefallingxoxo

mangamanic1234

arya21

natsume-meg93

niceladysakura

Cutenatsumexmikan

Kimiko-Sakura

Dominiqueanne

truc.mi

flor-desu

I just want to thank **merupuri** for pointing my idiotic grammar mistake!! arigatou!! I'll study harder!!

And **claireponcherrii** for letting me copy her definition of a kiss. thanks again!


	8. let the contest begin

**Search for the next Hyuuga bride**

**Disclaimer:** Doesn't and will not own Gakuen Alice or Alice academy, the only thing that is mine is the new characters and its plot!! No suing!!

**Previously:**

She was quiet after that, staring at the ceiling she then remembers the bracelet...

"Natsume…" she mutters...

Little by little her senses shut down...

Minutes after she was already sleeping.

Smiling while saying "natsume," in her dreams.

End of chapter seven

**Chapter eight: let the contest begin **

The next morning around nine thirty am, Mikan our little brunette was still asleep. the bracelet she was wearing last night was now in her hands, loose.

"nat-su-me,"she said, stirring left to right, right to left on her bed.

**K-R-I-N-G K-R-I-N-G- K-R-I-N-G****- **

Her alarm clock was ringing since nine am yet she still wasn't awake.

"Mikan!!" a high pitch tone of voice calls.

"e-eh?" she said, opening one of auburn eyes, wanting to sharpen her blurry vision, she rubs both of her innocent auburn orbs childishly as she sat up, and said

"Am I dreaming?" while yawning

"Baka!" a stiff voice said.

"Eh??Hotaru?!" she calls in disbelieve.

"mikan-Chan! You're gonna be late!" another voice said.

She stands up, walks towards them and said "ha-hai!" doing that cause her to be smack by her best friend, causing her to really wake up.

"Wah-what was that for?" She said, arranging her messy auburn hair.

"You're gonna be late mikan-chan, the contest will start an hour from now,"

"Eh?!!!!"

"Hurry up baka! Get going, we'll be the ones to arrange your stuff."

"Arigatou!"

"Hn,"

She runs into the bathroom, and takes a bath. Minutes after, around 10:00 am, she went out, her hair arranged into a loose braid, wearing a pair of simple plain blue jeans, and a peach top, she hurriedly runs into the table,sits there, open the drawer located into the right side of the table and shouts "I'm late!!"

**B-A-K-A- B-A-K-A- B-A-K-A- **

"Be quiet!"

"Are you okay mikan-chan?"

"Aww...You're so mean hotaru"

"Hn,"

"45 more minutes guys, we need to be there by 11:00"

She lets out a heavy sigh as she looks at herself standing in front of a mirror.

"Can I do this?" she said,

"Mikan!"

"Eh?"She said while turning around, her face carrying a what-look.

"Look" as they point at the television.

"as we all know, today will be the starting day for the contest "who wants to be the Hyuuga bride" were in different girls in the ages of 16-17 will be living inside a mansion with one of the most famous man in our country today…"

"eh????" she shouts, she unconsciously loose hold of the glass of water she was holding, her beautiful brown eyes as wide as saucers, and her mouth, planning to catch some flies.

"Is this what I auditioned weeks ago?? I'm going to join a search for the next bride??" she continues, totally freaking out.

"Didn't you know?" anna said

"Eh, no?" she said giving them a confuse look

"Just join Baka!"

"The contest will only last for a month or so…"

"Eh??"

"Good luck then, mikan-chan,"

"Eh? Do my parents know?"

"Eh, yes..."

"We talked to them already" anna and nonoko continues

"What did they say?"

"Okay of course!"

"Baka! Let's go!"

"Eh? Okay!" She said

Nonoko and anna gather all of her stuff while hotaru and mikan are waiting downstairs.

"mom, Im going now," she said, kissing yuka's cheeks

"take care honey"

"I will mom,"

"we'll be going then tita," hotaru said

"see you in a month"

"take care,"

"okay mom,"

together with anna, nonoko, and hotaru, mikan goes out from their house gates and bids farewell again. They run all the way into the train station. Panting, they arrive there. Using the elevator, they quickly head themselves into the cashier, hurriedly buy the tickets, and runs all the way into the train. A Saturday morning sure is a busy day. The train is jam packed with people, teenagers, and business workers elders. Every single kind of people is there with the four girls. Some of them are laughing, some are talking, while others are daydreaming.

Mikan and the three girls are talking.

"What will happen now??" she asks in a worried tone.

"Just be yourself, and everything will flow out smoothly."

"Eh?!"

"ahehehehe, mikan, just relax, where not even there yet,"

"but- but, you didn't tell me that I'm gonna join that kind of contest," she said, a tinge if disappointment can be seen into her beautiful face.

"you wanna know why?" hotaru said in a serious tone

"what is it huh?" she retorts back, still upset for keeping it from her.

"ruka, he asked me to talk to you and convince you to join it, but knowing you, if I tell you the true reason as soon as possible, you'll decline it, because you're too stubborn, and I just did it because I know ruka is worried for natsume for a whole year now. he also believes that you can bring him back from his old self." she said in a stern manner.

"e-eto, but he just did that because I look like my sister right?" she said in a smiling way, but deep in her heart she thought "I thought I can distinguish myself from onee-san" she said. The pieces of her heart are slowly shattering into tiny pieces.

"guys, ruka is calling us." Anna said, interrupting the two girls' conversation.

"then pick it up," hotaru said. Anna was hesitating thus hotaru was the one who picks it up. In a not-so-good-mood she said "we'll be there in five minutes!" then she hung up. She gives the cell phone back to anna and said "we should hurry,"

**Five minutes after…**

"where here!!" mikan shouts, running towards ruka and the others.

"gomenasai," she said, bowing in front of ruka and the staff members of the show.

"I thought you're not gonna come," ruka said, feeling a little relieve.

"of course not, Im gonna help you bring back the old natsume! I promise!" she said, smiling at him.

"what are you going to bring back?" a cold voice said.

"uhm," stammering, she turns around. There, a boy wearing black polo shirt with light colored pants is standing behind them, near mikan.

"ah-eto," she said, still stammering. "was he here the whole time?" she thought

"uhm, she asked me to bring back the shirt that I bought for her, it was too large for her," hotaru answers.

"thanks goodness," she thought.

"oh I see, anyway, why are you late?" he asks in an irritated voice.

"why do you care?" she shoots back, he didn't say anything, he just stood there, waiting for their eyes to meet.

"hello?!" the others said (namely, anna, nonoko, ruka and hotaru) as they watch the silent but intense atmosphere present between the two.

"huh? eh? what?" she said, snapping back from their little gaze.

"hmp," he said blushing, looking at the opposite direction, his hand, covering his mouth.

"the contest is about resume," one of the staff said

"ha-hai!" mikans aid energetically.

"welcome back to our welcoming ceremony for the fifteen lovely ladies which will be participating for the contest "who wants to be the next hyuuga bride?" which will last for a month of two," the emcee said.

The audience who are watching every move of the first 7 ladies which was introduced a while ago was in awe. They all are having their own pick, and everyone from the audience seems to enjoy it. The tense, stiff, sweaty, smiling, agitated looks from the first seven girls are entertaining them.

"let me introduce you to candidate no. eight, Ms. Luna Koizumi," the emcee said. The big bright lights are then focused on the right side of the stage. there, a girl with short silvery hair appeared, walking elegantly at the middle of the stage.

She walks with poise, her alluring smile plastered into her evil looking face.

"hi, Im luna koizumi, 16 years old and I study at coda academy," she said in a sweet voice.

"okay then, miss luna, what made you join this contest?" the emcee asks as he hands the microphone to her hands.

"uhm, eto- because I love natsume hyuuga! And I want him to love me too," she said, determination can be traced into her voice, her cheeks are carrying 50 shades of red while saying it.

"oh, so you love him and you want him to fall for you too, am I right?" the emcee said, confirming what she have said a while ago.

"yes." She said in a flat tone. The emcee dismisses her. she smiles once and turns around, walking into her rightful place.

All the 14 girls are standing in front of the audience.

"and last but not the least, the girl who will be wrapping up the fifteen girls, please welcome Ms. Mikan Sakura," the emcee said.

The lights was once again focused on the right side of the stage, there a girl who's wearing a baby blue bubble dress with white flats appeared. She is walking in a very calm way, which caught the audience's attention, her non-fading warm smile is what she was still carrying.

"hi, Ms.Sakura," the emcee said.

"hi! ohayou gozaimasu," she said while bowing.

"she is a very respectful girl," one of the audience said.

"she's so pretty!"

"she's different from the other girls,"

"Im captivated by her smile!"

All of these praises were given to her; she was indeed welcome by the audience.

"hi everyone! im mikan sakura, 16 years old and I at coda academy," she said in such a loud voice while bowing in front of the audience...

"so, Ms.Sakura, what made you join this contest?" the emcee asks,

"uhm, this may sound weird but I just joined this contest because I want people to see me as mikan sakura and not as chikako misawa. Because people always tell me that I look like chikako misawa, and it make feels like I am only her shadow." She said in a low voice. The audience was shock.

**S-I-L-E-N-C-E…..**

"come to think of it, she really looks like her," some of the audience said. They are whispering there and here, making mikan uncomfortable...

"okay, okay settle down, my dear audience." said the emcee. As mikan goes to her place.

"and now that you meet our fifteen lovely ladies, I will now tell you how the contest works," the emcee said

"so here it goes..."

"as we all know, the main rule of the contest is that the fifteen girls will be leaving with natsume-sama for a month or so, inside a mini-mansion right?"

The audience nod obediently.

"now, to make it more interesting, every one to two days per week, natsume-sama along with the fifteen girls will be going here and there for vacation to know each other more,"

The audience all nod once more but now with matching shiny eyes and gapes.

"then, all of the fifteen girls can have an alone night with natsume-sama."

**S-I-L-E-N-C-E-**

"furthermore, every week, who ever girl natsume-sama picks will be staying with him, and obviously, the one who will be pick will be ask to leave the mansion."

"eh?!" the audience said in shock.

"Im not done yet, my dear people,"

**S-I-L-E-N-C-E-**

"as I am saying…" "the winner of this contest will be the fiancée of natsume-sama, if the "mutual relationship" was deeper than expected, they can be husband and wife. Any communicating devices will be confiscated before they enter the mansion, and girls who will hurt or do something brutal to the other girls will be disqualified,"

"the girls will be the one to cook their meal, everyday, a person or two will be scheduled to cook for the day, then the next day, another pair or so,"

"eh?"

"that goes for the laundry and house chores too,"

"and one more thing, the mini mansion has some hidden cameras, and they can do anything they want, and from saying anything, I mean anything"

**S-I-L-E-N-C-E-**

"now, my dear audience, I want you to meet the boy whom the girls will be living with, please welcome natsume hyuuga-sama,"

A guy with captivating ruby eyes and messy raven hair then comes out from the left side of the stage, wearing a black polo shirt and a pair of black jeans with a pair of red converse sneakers matching his captivating ruby orbs.

"kya!! He is so handsome!!"

"I should have joined!!"

"hn,"he mutters under his breath as he looks at the screaming girls in front of him.

"low life and sluts as usual." he whispers.

"Now, Mr. Hyuuga do you want to tell something about this contest?"

"The girls wont last a month with me, Im telling you," he said in such a flat and cold manner, sending chill at the audience, emcee's and the girls' spine, except for mikan.

All the girls was silent after his sentence, for them natsume hyuuga only said that because his lonely and sad but for mikan what he said is true "no one will be staying at that mansion for long," she whispers to herself, getting the other girls' attention.

"now, now, now that you all know the rules and regulations of our little contest, let me call me Mr. Hyuuga for giving the closing remarks,"

The big, bright bulbs of light was then focused once again into the curtains, then a man around his 45's came out from the red curtain wearing a white polo shirt, a blue necktie, a pair of charcoal black pants and black shoes.

"welcome my dear audience," he greets with a smile

"first of all, I would like to thank everyone who is here today for witnessing our contest's welcoming ceremony, I appreciate it so much," he continues.

"before I forget, I would also like to tell you to support this contest. Vote for the girl whom you want to be with my son and watch the series every night at KLM channel at 8 pm okay? Arigatou. And I hope you all enjoy," he said, as he bring the mic back to the emcee.

"Thanks you for coming here today."

Little by little the enormous number of audience that was there in front of the wide spacious stage where natsume and the fifteen lovely ladies stood was now slowly decreasing…

"I wonder who will win,"

"kya! Im gonna vote for that mikan girl,"

"I like luna!"

"she stinks,"

"she's ugly,"

"I can't wait!"

different opinions was given by different people from the audience as they make their way into different directions, some are cheering for luna, others are for sumire, some for chiaki (you'll meet her soon), but majority of the people simply adores mikan.

the fifteen girls namely hei(danica-chan), ryana,(me!yey!),seriko,yui,asae, kanako, kumiko, nanako, sumire, mizuki, yuuki, haine, riiko, mikan, and luna was all talking and whispering at each other, all of them talking with their "new friends". Hotaru and ruka along with anna and nonoko once again approach her, the pink headed girl suddenly hugs her, making the brunette shock.

"huh?" she said, still in anna's arms.

"Im gonna miss you mikan-chan," she said in a solemn voice.

"me too," she said in a solemn voice, but her face is carrying a warm but sad smile.

"mikan-chan, gambatte!" nonoko said

"hai!" she replies, breaking from anna's choking hug

"sakura-san, you don't need to force yourself if you don't want to, it's fine by me," the blond lad said, looking guiltily at her.

"its okay ruka, no need,"

"are you sure sakura-san?"

"yeah."

"oi baka! be careful okay?! and don't act dumb!" her raven haired best friend said.

"hhoottaarruu!!!!" she said, throwing herself into the cold young woman. She is expecting her to dodge or to be shot by her baka gun 3.0 but it didn't come.

"why?" she whispers, hugging her best friend in a choking way

"baka!" she said, showing one of her rare smiles

"Im gonna miss you hotaru,"

"baka!"

"hay!" she said, breaking the hug.

"Im going then," she said

"mikan! take care of yourself!"

"of course," she said confidently, as she turns around to glance at them once more time before leaving them.

"bye mikan!" anna, nonoko, and ruka said while hotaru was just quiet.

She turns around once more, drops her 2 large red bags, and runs into hotaru's direction.

"Im gonna miss you hotaru,"she said. She is now crying big, fat crystalline tears are flowing endlessly from her big, innocent, auburn eyes.

"me too baka, hurry up, or they're gonna leave you," she said in such a warm and caring voice, causing the brunette to cry harder.

"bye," she said in a heartbreaking voice, her tight hug was slowing going loose. She wipes her tears with her sleeve but hotaru grabs her hand and pulls a lavender hanky from her pocket.

"here use this baka,"

"thanks," she said while grabbing the hanky from her hand gently.

She turns around to wipe her small tears forming into her eyes and walks away.

"bye!" she shouts, still walking to the opposite direction where hotaru and the others are standing.

As they eye mikan's retreating back, and confirms that she won't be hanging out with them for a while, they all went home.

**Meanwhile inside a coaster…**

"hi! Im mikan sakura, 16 years old, and 5'5" in height. please to meet you all of you. I hope we can be good friends." she said in front of the girls and natsume while bowing to show her respect.

Natsume was smirking as he looks intently at her, she notices it, making her blush hard but in order for them not to see it, she looks at the other direction (window) while her eyes are covered with her silky, brown hair. as for the fourteen girls seated into pairs, they all look at mikan with awe, admiring her warm and cheerful attitude and friendliness. Except for two evil young ladies namely sumire Shouda and luna koizumi who is both carrying an evil grin into their faces.

**A/n:**

Did you like it??

**Shattered hopes will be temporarily on HIATUS…**

Sorry guys!!  
read and review!!

Okay?

**In addition, thank you so much for reviewing my chapter seven! I appreciate it!!**

**iCedmoCha**----sorry for those grammatical errors…bows

**lolita6othic**-----------sorry to confuse you..gomenebows

**natsume-meg93**--------wah!!thanks for the review! Im glad that you like it:D

**sakura-hime18**-----yeah, me too, im getting excited myself…arigato!!

**mangamanic1234**-------here's the chappie you've been waiting for.. :D

**sakurapetal246**----im glad that you love it….thanks!

**mookiee**------im glad that you like it. sorry for holding shattered hopes on hiatus coz I don't have any ideas what will happen next and I still need to revise it so, gomene bows

**helltishL0Ve**--------thanks for pointing that out to me..ahehehehe..gomene..

**Kananoru**--------it's okay to give me criticisms I will accept it and try to change my mistakes in my full effort okay? feel free to leave some if you find my said chappie wrong or whatever. :D

**oO0OoyummyflakesoO0Oo**-------thanks for the review!!ahehehehe..ur threat is kawaii!!!!!

**Petalsarefallingxoxo**----Yey!! Good luck! Gambatte!!

**Cutenatsumexmikan**----thanks for the review. for the question, no it's not chikako's it's mikan's.he saw her looking at it so he bought it secretly while she's choosing her clothes.

**flor-desu**------arigato gozaimasu

**Kimiko-Sakura**—thanks for the review!!


	9. a friendly introduction

**Search for the next Hyuuga bride

* * *

**

**Disclaimer:** Doesn't and will not own Gakuen Alice or Alice academy, the only thing that is mine is the new characters and its plot!! No suing!!

* * *

**Previously:**

**Meanwhile inside a coaster…**

"hi! Im mikan sakura, 16 years old, and 5'5" in height. please to meet you all of you. I hope we can be good friends." she said in front of the girls and natsume while bowing to show her respect.

Natsume was smirking as he looks intently at her, she notices it making her blush hard but in order for them not to see it, she looks at the other direction (window) while her eyes are covered with her silky, brown hair. as for the fourteen girls seated into pairs, they all look at mikan with awe, admiring her warm and cheerful attitude and friendliness. Except for two evil young ladies namely sumire shouda and luna koizumi who is both carrying an evil grin into their faces.

**End of chapter eight

* * *

**

**"**_**people sometimes lie to avoid hurting others"**

* * *

_

**Chapter nine: introduction**

After the brunette's friendly introduction, she was instructed by one of the staff members to choose anywhere she wants to sit but since they are all sitting in pairs she decided to go and sit at the very far end of the coaster, all alone and quiet. She was about to go and walk in the middle of the narrow aisle of the coaster when a strong, well built arm pulled her, causing her to fall and sit on the lad's lap.

"sit beside me, I don't want you to go over there," a cold, masculine voice said.

"EEEHHHH???!!!!" shouts the twelve lovely ladies. The only ones who are not shouting are luna, sumire, and haine.

Mikan, who wants to see whom those arm belongs to turns, only to see that the person who owns the arm that pulled her was none other than natsume hyuuga himself.(**A/n: ooc….bows)**

"eh?????!!!!!" she shrieks, obviously under her late reaction mood as she force herself to stand but her full effort act was wasted since everybody knew that natsume hyuuga have more upper strength body than mikan sakura.

"just stay here, you'll be out of place when you sit back there,"

"I don't like them," he whispers in a very, very faint voice, in short, for mikan's ears only. She smiles after hearing that and decided to sit next to him.

"thanks," she said while smiling gently at him, causing him to blush. Having no imperceptible way to hide the 20 color shade of red across his face, he just put his hand into his handsome feature and lets out a heavy sigh.

"_what the heck have I done?" _he thought.

Mikan, observing his weird reaction took the chance to stand and sit next to him.

"hey,"she said but she receives nothing in reply. He was just quietly sitting next to her while looking into the small, clear window, his thoughts drifting far way from him, her, and everyone else.

"_what will happen now?" _he thought.

"what is he thinking?" she thought.

"what are those two doing? have they met before?" some of the girls thought.

"a rival! A rival!!"haine said.

"this will be fun..."riiko thought, plastering a playful smile into her baby looking face.

"I can't wait!" seriko said in a whisper, her hand forming a wrist.

"hey, natsume" she said, waving her hand in front of his blank looking, obviously day dreaming face.

"huh?" he said in a calm manner, as he snaps back from his little day dream.

"oh, sorry I didn't mean to interrupt you it's just like you look pre occupied, maybe your thinking about something very…"she didn't finish her sentence instead she just looked down into the red carpeted coaster as she tries to avoid his alluring and melting stare.

"very?" he said, giving her a puzzled look.

"nothing,"

"Hn,"

The ride was silent for the two of them but for the fourteen girls sitting behind them, it wasn't. some of them are fuming how the heck did mikan sakura got the chance to sit next to their "natsume-sama" or she's not that pretty compare to me to be sitting next to hyuuga-sama.(**A/n: don't they sound like his pesky fan girls??)**while some are just staring at the two, thinking if they have some kind of relationship they've been hiding from them.

The trip from the city to the hyuuga mansion was about an hour and a half. Mikan fell asleep on the way into the mansion, her head was resting on top of natsume's shoulder, while natsume who also fell asleep was the same only that his head is resting on top of the brunette's head. All of the girls that was still sitting behind them was wondering the same thing

"what are they doing?" for they cannot see what is happening between the two. The lad who was peacefully sleeping next to the brunette girl was starting to wake up slowly, his tantalizing ruby colored eyes are starting to open, wanting to sharpen his blurry vision, he childishly scratches his eyes. Upon regaining his clear 20/20 vision, he was shock to see the sleeping brunette's head resting into his shoulders, "hn," he thought.

The girls then saw him awake, they are all expecting him to brush off the brunette's head, but instead he pulled it closer but slowly up to his neck to make sure that her head wont fall or what during the remaining hours of the trip then he dozed off to sleep again, not even bothering to care who he was with or who are the people around him while his hand is on top of the brunette's cheek supporting it.

"okay sumire, we need to do something," luna said in a faint whisper.

"what then?" she said in an I-want-a-plan-now voice.

"Iwhisper then I also want towhisper that to that bitch," she said, whispering it directly into sumire's ears, causing both of them to have those mischief looks on their faces.

"I wonder, what they are doing?" haine asked ryana, a friend who was sitting next to her.

"I don't know, why don't we just ask her later, she looks friendly to me, why don't we just be friend her later okay, haine-chan?" she said in a calm manner while staring outside the window, her chin supported by her palm. Ryana is the type of girl who doesn't socialize much, she only talks when she's being ask or whether she wants to tell what's on her mind. she only talks to those who talks to her and to her childhood and school friends, while haine is the type of girl who is talkative and out going. She's one of ryana's first school friends thus she's one of those who can talk to her.

"ry-ryana,"haine calls.

"what?" she replies in an irritated manner.

"don't leave me okay?" her voice sounded like pleading, as if she will die if ryana leaves her.

"whatever," she said, still looking thru the small glass window.

"yey! thanks ryana!" she said, hugging the snobbish girl beside her.

"that mikan is interesting, don't you think yuuki-chan?" asae said, while looking at the very first seat of the coater. asae is a 17 year old, hyper and so energetic when she's with her friends, but when she's alone, her sadness is always there to accompany her. she is the heiress of matsutaka corporation.

"yeah, maybe we should be friend her,"yuuki said. While this girl, yuuki yamamoto is 16, and is the opposite of asae. She seldom shouts and be all jumpy like asae, but she is friendly but shy. She is the next girl to manage their fashion company "priceless,"

"maybe or maybe not," she replies playfully.

"suit yourself,"

"…"

After 30 more minutes…

"yey!! were here!" shouts asae as she stretches outside the coaster.

"let's go, slow poke," teases yuuki while running away from her.

"come back here you meanie!!" shouts asae back, as soon as she realized what her friend said to her.

"ahahaha, catch me if you can," she said, sticking her tongue out while looking back at her.

"hey,"she said, continue running.

The two continue running both are acting like 5 year old kids. the other girls who just got off from the coaster were laughing at them,

"they look cute," said a girl who is standing near the coaster's door, seriko fusunagi, the next lass to own their company, "pink devil," a publishing company.

"are you interested to them too, huh seriko??" asks hei, a 17 year old girl who will be the next heiress of the corporation, suzumiya corporation, a famous modeling agency.. She is the type of girl who can be friendly by the minute and the next will be snobbish. She is a loyal and trust-worthy friend, friendly and straight to the point but can protective at times.

"the fifteen girls, can you please follow me inside the mansion, we are going to decide there what your rooms will be and I still need to announce some rules and regulations about the contest," said one of the staff. The fourteen girls followed him, what they didn't know was that mikan, who was still sleeping by the moment is still inside the coaster with natsume. Natsume was wide awake since the coaster had stopped moving, he tried several times to wake the sleeping brunette, but his attempts were all futile because she was a heavy sleeper.

"oi, little girl, wake up, where here," he said, patting her shoulder lightly.

"…" but he received no reply.

"oi," he said once more.

"mmmm…"she said while stirring, her head slid, causing it to fall but natsume hurriedly took grab of her cheeks and slightly pull it up, causing it to be near to his face…approximately 3 more inches away from his lips.

Her brunette orbs were gently opening but he didn't notice this because of her long silky hair covering parts of her angelic face.

She looks up to see who owns the hand that are touching both of her pale cheeks but was shock to see his face, inches away from hers, she can even feel his warm breath tickling her face.

"nnnaaannniiii???" her mind shouts, "what is happening?" she continues.

"oi, are you awake now?" he said

"whaattt??!!!!" she shouts, making natsume realize that his hands are still holding her cheeks and her face inches away from his. He can now clearly see how beautiful and innocent looking her orbs were and she can even feel the silkiness of her long auburn hair which reaches up to his arms.

"her eyes are gorgeous," a voice whispers into his head.

"shut up," he said to the voice.

"just admit it that you like her,"

"why would I like a girl like her? I don't even know her that well,"

"then why did you allow her to sit beside her huh? and why did you accompany her to the mall last time huh?" the so called voice retorts,

"…"

"is it only because you see chikako to her huh?" his conscience continues,

"shut up,"

"fine then, but if you lose her, don't blame me that I didn't tell you that you love her okay?!"

"hn,"

"natsume?" she said while arranging her hair.

"huh?" he said while looking at her. they both blushed but kept it well hidden.

"can you let go of me know?" she said while smiling at him sweetly, causing him to blush even harder.

"ahetosumimasen,"he said in a fast manner, as he removes his hand from her cheeks.

"my cheeks are warm, his hand must be warm too," she said to herself

"you like him don't you?" her conscience asks

"no!!"

"then why are you blushing a while ago?"

"because it's hot,"

"stop joking yourself,"

"Im not, and even though I like him he wont like me back because I know that he deeply loves onee-san," she said.

"fine then, but if you lose him, don't blame me that I didn't tell you that you love him okay?!"

"…"

"They went ahead of us.let's go, they're at the living room, with the staff. I think that is where we're gonna know where are rooms are gonna be at," he said in a whisper.

"okay then, let's go!" she said as she took hold of his hand.

"hn,"

The two then went outside the coaster, she then let go of his hand for a while to stretch but as soon as she was done, she gently took a hold of it again. They walk and walk and walk until they both reached the living room. The living room was gorgeous. simple, yet elegant. there was a small chandelier hanging in the middle of ther living room, giving the room a pale yellow color. The couches are white, and a small tea table in front of it. There is also a piano and a plasma TV within the premises.

"woah!" mikan said to herself, in such a low and faint voice but natsume was able to hear it.

"hehe,"he said, chuckling a little.

"what?!" she said

"betsuni"

"hn,"

"ladies, first of all why don't you all introduce yourself," one of the staff said.

"okay!" they reply.

"who wasn't to go first?"

"me!" mikan said in reply, while raising her left hand

"okay then miss sakura, if you please," he replies,

"hey,"she said enthusiastically as she walks into the middle of the living room, in front of the fourteen girls sitting in front of her and in front of natsume,"

"okay! here goes nothing," she though

"hi Im mikan sakura, 16 years old and-." She was cut off by sumire who is looking at her from the moment she stepped inside the mansion.

"yeah, yeah, we already know that sakura, why don't you tell us something about yourself? perhaps family background or hobbies?" she mock. Luna and sumire were the only ones who knew her family background, they both know that she is poor and they also knew that she and chikako are sisters.

"uhm, eto..." stammering.

"go on," she said smirking at her.

"uhm, Im an only child in our family, and I am not rich and everything but even though my family is poor, we haven't got any family or financial problems, all of us are open to each other and we love each other. My hobbies are, uhm,chuckles sleeping, and eating my favorite candy. Fluff puffs!" she said while chuckling at her answer.

"oh…"the girls said, except for luna and sumire.

"hi! Im hei suzumiya, 17 years old. I like playing tennis and badminton, I love having new friends around me and I hope we can all be good friends inside this house okay?" she said in an energetic manner, while winking at her very last sentence.

"hi! Im seriko fusunagi, 17 years old. Im the kind of girl who doesn't give up easily, I may look sweet outside but inside, I am as tough as a rock!" she said, while forming a fist.

"ahehehe,"the girls reply.

"ohayou! Im yui hikari and Im also 17 yrs old. I love dancing and cooking. I hope we can all be good friends," she said in shy way.

"hi!!"they all reply. she smiles back in reply.

"asae matsutaka! I love hanging out with my friends but if you ask me who I love the most, it will be yuuki!!" she said as she runs toward yuuki who is about to stand up..

"watch out!" the girls said

**B-a-n-g**

Yuuki was under asae while asae was on top of her, hugging her tightly.

"let go of me!" she said in an irritated voice.

"hahahahahaha" she was laughing at the childhood friend's face, she loves seeing her angry because she looks cute. The girls were laughing too,

"kanako chikase, 17 years old. Cooking and going to the mall and I hate back stabbing and cruel people who step on to weak and defenseless people," she said in a cold voice.

"…."

"nanako itou.hi!! 17 years old too, I love baking sweets and mixing stuffs," she said

"hi Im ryana tanaka, 16 years old. Im just a simple commoner but despite of that nothing can stop me from reaching for my dream, which is to be a fashion designer." she said as she smiles "I hope we can all be good friends, especially you, mikan sakura,"she continues as she looks intently to mikan.

"okay! we can be friends," she said smiling back at her.

"thanks,"

"yuuki yamamoto, 16 years old, im friendly but at the same time quiet and shy so don't mistook me for a snob okay?" she said, smiling at them.

They all nodded.

"hi!!kawaii haine is now here, ahehehehe by the way, hi im haine sakurako, as you can see, im the type of person who is hyper and jumpy but don't be fool because when Im lonely...," she said, she didn't bother to finish her introduction.

"when your lonely?"mikan said

"nothing,"she smiles

"im mizuki kobayashi, 16 years old, if you have problems, don't hesitate to ask for help from me okay? And I'll try my best to help you,"she said while going back to her place.

"okay!"the all reply

"this is flowing smoothly,"the staff thought.

"riiko satou,please to meet you,"she said while bowing.

"okay, now that you know each other's name Im now going to announce where and what you room number is,"

"okay!"

"hei-chan, rm,205"

"yes!"

"seriko,rm 204"

"hn,"

"yui, rm 200"

"thanks!"

"asae,rm.208"

"arigato!!"

"yuuki, rm 209"

"thanks!"

"yuuki! Our rooms are close to each other,"

"hn," she said.

"bleh!" sticking her tongue out.

"…"

"kanako rm 201"

"…"

"nanako rm 203"

"okay!"

"sumire rm 215"

"…"

"luna, rm 216"

The two looked at each other with evil sparks on their eyes, they are planning something

"ryana rm 214,"

"arigatou gozaimasu,"

"mikan, rm 213"

"hai!!!"

"haine, rm 218"

"right!"

"mizuki rm 220"

"alright!"

"and riiko rm 219"

"okay okay!"

"wait! but where is natsume –sama's room?" sumire asks

"uhm, he'll be staying in a secret room, ahead of all of you, a floor a head of you,"

"that's unfair!"

"oh well,"

"right, all of you can start going to your rooms know, your bags and so called baggage are all there,"

"arigatou,"they all said in unison while bowing

"no big deal."

They all went to their respective rooms, mikan was inside of her room daydreaming in front of the large open window, as she welcomes the air whispering playfully into her ears and is playing with her long silky brunette hair. as for the girls and natsume, the girls are in their own rooms doing girly stuff, some are sleeping ,resting, chit chit chatting while others are planning evil things to be put into action. Natsume was inside of his suite looking room, looking at a certain picture.

* * *

**A/n:**

Did you like it??

Yeah I know its boring

I'll make it up to you

Guys on the next chappie..

Sumimasen..bows

**Shattered hopes will be temporarily on HIATUS…**

Sorry guys!!  
read and review!!

Okay?

**In addition, thank you so much for reviewing my chapter eight! I appreciate it!!**

nyLe309

Akiko Ayame

xXMitsumeXx

lolita6othic

Cutenatsumexmikan

oO0OoyummyflakesoO0Oo

iCedmoCha

mae2605

helltishL0Ve

novachipsalice

mangamanic1234

Dominiqueanne

natsume-meg93

Kimiko-Sakura

sakurapetal246

konnie

**i also want to thank "miyuki-chan07" for giving me some of the japanese names..**

**arigatou nica-chan!!ahehehehheeh**

**and to helltishlove for pointing out my mistakes...**

**gomene for not improving. you're always the poiting out my mistakes and im thankful that ****you always do that...**

**im sorry if i didnt proofread it before posting ****cause its has been my habit to proofread it adfter 3 days or so after posting it...**

**so that's it, i wasnt able to see those mistakes... **

**once again, gomene..**


	10. 50 LOVE, 50 HATE

**Previously:**

They all went to their respective rooms, mikan was there at her room daydreaming in front of the large open window, as she welcomes the air that is whispering into her ears and is playing with her long silky brunette hair. as for the girls and natsume, the girls are in their own rooms doing girly stuff; some were sleeping and resting, while others are planning evil things to be put in action. Natsume was inside of his suite looking room, looking at a certain picture.

**End of chapter nine**

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**Chapter ten: 50 LOVE, 50 HATE**

It's already night time. It was cold and a bit windy outside. Thousands of little twinkling stars are present at the midnight blue sky, the small pink petals of the cherry blossom trees near the mansion are scattered at the mansion's hard cold floor. Dinner time then came. It was great but at the same time dull. The atmosphere around the girls and natsume is cold and heavy but mikan was an exemption.

* * *

_**Flashback:**_

After knowing each other, all of the girls including natsume went into their own rooms. There upon entering, they all saw a piece of parchment laid into their soft, different colored covered queen size beds. One by one, in different places and position, they grab the smell rolled parchment and open it. The said parchment paper contains the rules and regulations to be followed while at the contest and who will be in charge of cooking and daily house chores starting tonight up to the last day of the contest. The list goes like this:

**Cooking:** (some of them wont be able to cook because some of them don't know how to)

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Mikan nanako haine yui hei yuuki kumiko

**House chores:** (some of them cannot clean either, but if the person who was assign to cook and still wants clean, it's their choice)

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

ryana seriko asae kanako riiko mizuki luna/sumire

After reading the parchment containing rules like you are not allowed to use violence inside the house. In addition, you must all follow natsume-sama's wishes, and profanity is not allowed inside the mansion's premises… (**A/n: sorry for the lame rules... gomen!)**

Some of the girls were shock after reading this. "why do we need to do such stupid house chores anyway?" some of them thought or "this will be fun!" The comments and excitement now varies, some of them think that is sucks that they need to do some house chores, and some thinks that it's fun because they don't know how to cook nor to do house chores while some of them were just plain "I don't care".

Majority of the girls fell asleep after taking their afternoon bath all of them except for haine, ryana, mikan, natsume, and hei. Natsume was sitting at a near by bench, facing the pool. Mikan was resting under a sakura tree near outside's natsume's room (but she doesn't know it), ryana and haine are at the mansion's balcony, drinking tea under the sakura tree, while hei is looking for mikan. natsume was there all alone near the swimming pool area thinking about his bloody past again, he was suddenly interrupted when he sensed someone sitting near him.

"what are you doing in here?" he said, not even bothering to look who it was.

"is it bad to be here?" the voice shots back.

"hn,"

"mou, natsume, your being cold again, I really don't understand you." The brunette said, her arms across her chest, pouting.

"chikako?" he thought as he faces the source of voice. He stood up and hugs her, thinking that she was chikako.

"chikako." he said in a faint voice as he tightens the hug.

"natsume??" mikan said. "what are you doing?" she continues, her face carrying a confused look.

"sumimasen." he whispers as he loosens the hug.

"why?" she thought but said it unconsciously.

"is she that important to you huh? That even though she's already dead your still there sulking, when Im here for you. Didn't you realize that even thought you always try to push me away, I always manage to come back and try to make you smile? And can't you even sense that I am here worrying for you? You insensitive jerk!" she said in a rage. She never felt this hurt and angry before. It feels to her like her heart is being stab by a well sharpen knife…

"why do you care anyway? Did I tell you to worry and to try to make me smile?! You don't even know a thing about me, so stop saying things that you think you know." He said in a stern manner. She was crying her heart out as she listens to natsume's rude comments and insults. Hearing things no more, she run as fast as she can away from natsume, her glittering eyes a while ago are now red and puffy, and is still releasing those big fat prickling tears, she was about to go inside the mansion when

**B-A-N-G**

"sumimasen,"she said looking down.

"is everything alright?" hei said.

"yeah,"she said trying to sell her reason but hei didn't believe her. instead she puts her hand in her chin and inclined her tear stained face.

"why are you crying? it doesn't suit you," she said while smiling at her, trying to lessen the gloomy atmosphere between them.

"nothing, it's only a dust, don't worry," she said, faking a smile.

"don't you know that that reason is so 20 years ago?" she said, smiling once more at her.

She chuckled upon hearing tha.

"that's better," she said.

"wanna share it to me?"

"huh??"

"the thing that made you cry," she said.

"uhm, it's not that important anyway," she said.

"if you say so, then fine, but remember, If I see you crying once more you'll tell me okay?" she said, while caressing her long auburn locks.

"hey,"she said enthusiastically.

"talk about mood swings," she said jokingly to her.

"ahehehehe" she was feeling a little better know but she knows that after this, she will be crying once more.

They both went inside the mansion both are inside mikan's room, talking and chit chatting happily. Hei was about to say something so she faced mikan, but she saw her sleeping so she went outside her room and left the sleeping brunette there. As for natsume, he was still there near the pool, thinking about what happened a while ago.

"is she that important to you huh? That even though she's already dead your still there sulking, when Im here for you. Didn't you realize that even thought you always try to push me away, I always manage to come back and try to make you smile? And can't you even sense that I am here worrying for you? You insensitive jerk!" the line that mikan said to him a while ago keeps on playing endlessly. He was confused on what does the brunette girl means.

"what is she trying to say??" he thought.

Hours passed yet there is still no sign of the lively and cheerful brunette. The 14 girls are there at the living room watching TV while natsume was in his room still thinking about our little brunette mikan. dinner time then came and that's the on time he saw mikan once more. She was wearing a black knee length pants, and a simple baby blue shirt.

_**End of flashback

* * *

**_

Every once in a while she will give natsume a fast glance to check what he is doing.

"what the heck is she doing?" the raven haired lad thought that is currently sitting at head of the table.

"why am I doing this again?" the brunette asks herself.

"it's because your concern," a voice answers her.

"how did you know?"

"darling, Im your conscience you know."

"conscience my butt, he-he," she said in a faint voice yet her face is carrying a confuse look. She was shaking her head in a confuse way trying not to be disturb by her so called conscience. Still not convince about her conscience leaving her, she slapped both of her pale cheeks, getting everyone's attention, especially ryana and haine.

"are you alright mi-chi?" ryana asks worryingly, as she reaches out for her hand.

"huh? yeah Im fine," she said, her face looks like in a trance.

"her hands are so gentle." She thought.

"why is she touching her?" he thought. The thought of her being touched by someone else is making his blood boil.

"are you okay hyuuga-san?" sumire asks flirtingly.

"shut up." he said in a stern way as he eyes the two girls near him. (ryana and mikan)

"why is she all friendly with her?" haine thought. her beautiful baby looking face was carrying an envious look.

Ryana and mikan are enjoying their scrumptious dinner, while haine who was sitting across ryana was sulking, envious of what she is seeing. As for natsume, there he goes with his jealously, starting to eat him little by little. Sumire and luna are both smirking into each other, while the other girls are simply enjoying their dinner prepared by mikan. upon finishing their delicious and fine cuisine, they all went upstairs except for mikan and ryana. Ryana was the one is charge for the house chores tonight and mikan was there to help there.

They're both at the kitchen, washing dishes, when mikan accidentally loose grip of the plate, causing it to fall and to be shatter into large pieces. She hurriedly picks it up but then a shard from the plate cut her ring finger. Blood was oozing from her ring finger, while she was just there sitting, looking at the oozing blood from her deep cut. Ryana was looking at her the whole time, she was observing her every move after she was cut by the shard. She bent down close to her, grabs her bleeding ring finger, and puts it inside her mouth. She was shock by her sudden and unconscious actions and so was mikan. her pale cheeks are carrying 20 deep shades of red, and her eyes are looking into ryana's face.

She looks tough outside but she was sure that there is something bothering ryana, there is something that is making her act like that. The flavor of ryana's mouth is now rusty and kind of metallic, just like blood as she sucks the last drop of it. When she was finish, she asked mikan to stand up so she can assist her to wash her wound. She followed her request, stood up and went near the faucet, ryana opened it, and gently placed mikan's finger under the running luke warm water. She was washing her wound with care while mikan was just there thinking "why is she like this?". She was still caring and light handed when she was attending her wound "you should be careful next time," she said to mikan as she wraps a band aid into her ring finger.

"arigatou," she smiles.

"sorry for the sudden action a while ago," she said bowing formally in front of her.

"no need to be formal," she said

"ahehehehe,"

They continue washing the plates, mikan was the one who is wiping them while ryana was the one who is soaping and rinsing it. What they don't know was that haine was there looking at them secretly. Her twinkling sapphire eyes are both filled with sadness and jealousy. She ran out, going to the balcony to cry her heart out. Ryana and mikan heard someone then they both saw haine running outside probably going to the balcony. Ryana followed her leaving mikan at the kitchen, wondering what happened to her.

"haine!" shouts ryana as she grabs her arm.

She was crying, her beautiful sapphire eyes are releasing those painful and prickling tears.

"what's wrong with you?" she asks in a calm manner but she didn't answer. she was looking down still crying.

"betsuni,"she said.

"why are you crying then?"

"are you playing dumb huh? Can't you see that Im jealous that you're so close and friendly with mikan?? when I first met you, I immediately realize that I want you to be my best friend so I tried and tried to be friend you until a certain day came and you told me the words "I want you to be by my side always so don't leave me" I was happy to hear that from you so I always tried my best not to leave you, but…" her anguish sobs was being harder and harder as minutes passes, she was crying her disappointed heart out that even ryana herself cannot do anything, she tried to hug and explain things to haine but before she can she run out far away from her and said "Im disappointed to you, just talk to me when you need something, when your mind is clear," and then she continue running. Mikan who was listening to their conversation saw the running haine and stopped her by blocking her way.

"you got it all wrong, she was just helping…" but she was cut off by haine.

"butt off. you're not involved with this business so stop meddling," she said with a stern and cold voice, then she continue running going to her room.

She was shock. She never thought that she can affect someone's relationship just by being close to someone else. She approached the sad looking ryana who was still standing outside, at the balcony with sakura petals dropping like rain.

"Im sorry," she said, as she puts her hand into her slouched shoulder. She turned around and making mikan shock. She was crying. This was her first time seeing haine like that and she hated herself for it. She didn't want haine to be hurt by her actions, she was just trying to help. That's all. No more No less. However, haine misunderstood everything, her kindness, her actions, and her reasons.

"you know what, you remind of my little sister micelle. She died at the age of nine because she was sick that time and we don't have any money." she said while looking down. she had stopped crying but she was hiccupping from her hard and distressing sobs a while ago.

"Im sorry," was all mikan can say. Ryana looked up to her and hugs her.

"it's alright, she just misunderstood things so don't blame yourself," she said while smiling.

"but-,"

"I be friend you not only because you remind me of my sister, but it's also because I find you unique and somewhat lonely from the rest of them." she said, trying to form a smile to convince mikan that she really is okay.

After that, ryana dismissed the topic.

"tomorrow she'll be fine," she said confidently trying to cheer up the gloomy brunette.

"sumimasen,"she said once more as she opens the door of her room.

"thanks for walking me," she said while smiling as she enters her room.

"It's fine! no need to worry. She's just insecure that's all." After that she fled. After the disappearance of her retreating back, mikan completely went inside her room. She took her shower and went to sleep.

Ryana immediately went straight to haine's room. She was knocking several times already while calling her name but she didn't answer. ryana was about to leave when she heard noises coming from the room. She placed her ear near the door and was shock to hear melancholic and anguish sobs.

"haine?" she said in a faint voice. Her back leaning at haine's oak door.

"go away!" she shouts. She was also leaning at the other side of her door.

"can I talk to you?"

"go away ryana! Im not in the mood to listen to your lame excuses,"

"but-,"

"please…" was the last thing she said and then ryana fled. Haine continue crying harder and harder by the minute. She went into her bed and cried herself to sleep.

Meanwhile…

Mikan was woken up by a strange yet bloody nightmare. She was sweating heard as she reaches for a glass of water that is located on top of her side table.

"what was that about?" she said to herself.

* * *

_**Dream:**_

Mikan was inside a room, she opens the light to see who was calling her the whole time. After opening the light, The room that was pitch black a while ago became as bright as day. She knelt unconsciously as she looks intently on the people with her inside the room. It was a boy with raven hair and ruby eyes, bleeding. He has a deep stab in his side and he was dying. right in front of her eyes. She was calling for him but she didn't hear her. she was trying so hard to warn him that there is someone behind him carrying a knife, ready to stab him.

"NNNAAATTTSSSUUUMMMEEE!!!!" she shouts, but it was too late. Again and again the notorious natsume hyuuga was being stab by someone mikan didn't clearly know. Natsume was looking at her direction as if he was hoping that mikan will pop out from that direction and cry over him but nothing. Nothing came except for different pressurized stabs from the evil culprit. He was dead after, but clearly before dying mikan surely heard the words "I love you," while looking at her way. Again she shouts his name and began crying. She stood up with a tear stained face and went close to the culprit who was still holding the knife.

"who are you?" she asks in a menacing voice. She was trying to be brave but deep inside, her heart was about to stop beating any moment.

The culprit didn't answer but her innocent crying orbs became as big as saucers as she looks at the culprit. Her hall sister-chikako misawa-

_**End of dream

* * *

**_

She decided to cool off a bit so she went outside the terrace (garden) to walk there. Small pink sakura blossom petals are falling just like rain. she always manages to relax herself every time she went somewhere with a sakura tree in it. She saw a near by tree so she decided to go and rest there for a while or maybe to wait for the hot blazing sun to rise.

"what was that about?" she said in a low voice. Her forehead is still releasing that fat cold beads of sweat.

"what are you talking about?" a cold voice questioned.

"eh??" she said, looking above her.

"…"

"why are you here?" she said in a snobbish tone.

"I should be the one to ask you that."

"hn,"

He jumped out from the branch and sat next to mikan.

"oi," he said

"…"

She stood up. Ready to leave when natsume suddenly grabbed her and pinned her to the tree's branch. She's still not looking at him, nor gives him an eye contact. He got pissed so he cupped his chin to make her face his face. To see how serious he is through his piercing ruby eyes.

"what do you want?" giving him a string look.

"im sorry,"

"…"

"Im talking to you!" he shouts

"let go of me will you?!" she retorts as she breaks free from his human cage, she was about to run when natsume suddenly pulls her and kissed her. she was shock for the second time her eyes went as wide as saucers. at first she tried to break free but In the end she gave up and replies to the kiss. But Then she realized something.

"he only sees chikako in you,"

With that she broke the kiss, slaps him and runs away going back to her room with a tinge of red shaded hue across her cheeks.

"idiot natsume! if you don't like me, please don't be too nice on me," she said.

"that baka." He said while touching his swollen cheek.

**A/n:**

Did you like it??

Yeah I know it's so long!  
sorry.

I'll lessen the typing and words and stuff

Therefore, you don't find it boring...

Wah!!  
**In addition, thank you so much for reviewing my chapter nine! I appreciate it!!**

funny sakura

lolita6othic

Cutenatsumexmikan

Caritate

iCedmoCha

sarahpatrick

mangamanic1234

sakurapetal246

mikaro

Kananoru

natsume-meg93

yumicka1990

miyuki24

oO0OoyummyflakesoO0Oo

natsumemikan06

xXMitsumeXx

Kimiko-Sakura

Dominiqueanne


	11. a hot yet raining night

**previously**

"Im talking to you!" he shouts

"let go of me will you?!" she retorts as she breaks free from his human cage, she was about to run when natsume suddenly pulls her and kissed her. she was shocked for the second time her eyes went as wide as saucers. at first she tried to break free but In the end she gave up and replied to the kiss. But then she realized something.

"he only sees chikako in you,"

With that she broke the kiss, slaps him and runs away going back to her room with a tinge of red shaded hue across her cheeks.

"idiot natsume! if you don't like me, please don't be too nice on me," she said.

"that baka." He said while touching his swollen cheek.

**End of chapter 10 **

"_since when did you stop telling me the truth?"_

**Chapter 11: a hot summer night **

Crystal blue sea, pure, refined yellowish sand, a hot temperature, unlimited choice of cuisine, and a large yet simple villa. Who would ask for more? The 15 young ladies are playing beach volley ball. All of them were wearing different kind and styles of swimsuits, causing boys around them to drool. Bright colors, dull colors, printed, and crazy prints are the ones they are wearing.

Divided into 2 groups of 7, all of them were sweating in a sexy way; scattered strands of their long hair are sticking to their neck, which men find hot and irresistible.

"mine" shouted a certain brunette as she spikes the volleyball; falling strands of her auburn hair were sticking into her sweating neck.

"mine" shouted haine as she spikes the volleyball in such a great force back to mikan.

"break!!" shouted a certain girl with moss green hair and curly hair ends.

"what's the problem now sumire?" they all asked.

"aren't you tired? we've been playing for the past 2 and a half hours." she said in a defensive way while handing out a towel to each and every sweating girl near her.

"okay then, why don't we continue it later?? afternoon I guess??" the lively brunette said while wiping the beads of sweat running down form her forehead, neck and arms.

"mikan?" a boy with silky black hair and striking topaz eyes said in question.

"eh?" while turning around to see whom it was.

"mikan?"the boy said again.

"tatsuru?" she questioned. Her face showing a disbelieved look while approaching the handsome lad.

"mikan!" tatsuru said while approaching the brunette. He was hugging her very tight that she wasn't able to breath anymore. Mikan was shocked. her face is carrying a 20 shade of red blush and her innocent auburn eyes were as wide as saucers, she can't help it but to smile.

"I've miss you so much tatsuru," she said as she broke the hug.

"me too, mikan I never thought that we can see each other again especially in a place like this." he said while looking at the crystal blue beach in front of them.

"mikan?" the girls said.

"who is he?" the y all continued.

"uhm, he is my childhood friend tatsuru, he moved when we're 7 and we're best friends together with hotaru. "she said

"hi!" they all said.

"hi?" he said

"so where's hotaru," he said.

"uhm, she's not here."

"why?"

"actually I joined a contest, and she's the reason why I joined." she hesitatingly said

"eh? you mean the search for the next hyuuga bride?" he said in a flat tone. She nodded and smiled.

"why?" he said

"because hotaru said so, and she's also helping a friend," the girls answered.

"thanks guys!" mikan said while smiling at them, haine was the only one who snob her.

"girls!!" one of the staff said.

"we need to go now tatsuru, see you later." she said, hugging him again

"when can I see you again?" he said

"maybe later, I'll sneak out," she whispered.

"silly you."

All of them then returned to the villa that they are staying at. it was large all right but it's not that distant from the beach. They took their afternoon shower one by one, and spent the whole afternoon eating, talking, and sharing experiences to each other then they ate their dinner with natsume then natsume said something.

"you need to go to the living room, I think it's about the draw lots," he said monotonously.

"what draw lots??" sumire asked

"I don't know," then he continue eating.

After finishing their meals, they all went into the living room just as natsume said and was surprise to see what was there waiting for them.

There was a medium size fish bowl in the middle placed on top of a table, red colored couches are surrounding it, and then someone said.

"have a sit ladies,"

They all sat at the couches surrounding the fish bowl. silently, they stare at it.

"so, tonight, a certain girl will be able to spend her night with natsume-sama." said the staff member.

Some of them squealed in excitement while some of them were just okay fine whatever.

"so who wants to go first?"

Mikan then stood up and went closer to the fish bowl, and then she picked a piece of paper and went back to her place between ryana and haine. The same instruction was given to the following girls, after picking up their papers, they went back and held it tight

"now, when I said open it, open it. and whoever has the sakura drawing in it will be the lucky one,"

They all opened the piece of paper and looked at it. then someone said

"it's me," in a faint voice.

"it's me!" she shouted.

It was luna. Luna will be the first girl who can spend her night with natsume. all of the girls looked at her with awe.

"good luck then, sister," sumire said while hugging the all happy luna.

"yea.thanks" she said.

"okay then, miss koizumi, please follow me, the rest of you can go and walk outside the premises, or you could just stay here."

Since it's already 9pm, some of the girls decided that they will just sleep and rest. Some will watch TV, while mikan will be outside, walking and meeting tatsuru.

"I'll be outside if you need me," she said as she wave her goodbye to the girls.

"okay!"

"be careful!"

"what time are you going back?"

"uhm, I don't know, sunrise I guess," she said jokingly as she walks outside.

"be right back okay!"

"yeah yeah"

She was gone after that. She was wearing a blue pleated summer dress with white sandals. She was still walking but then after a couple of moments, she stopped. She removed her cute white sandals and continue walking near the beach. The cold beach water was rushing to her soft fair feet. She can feel the coldness of the water, yet she continue walking to that path until someone called her.

"mikan!"

She turned around, revealing a handsome young lad feet away from her.

"tatsuru!" she shouted back. They walk and walk until they both reached each other then they stopped.

"wanna sit down?" tatsuru asked.

"huh?"

He then brought out a towel they laid it on the grained sand then he said "now you may sit," he said while smiling at her.

She sat down next to him and said, "so how are you?"

"okay." he said

"why did you join anyway?" he said

"coz..."

"coz what?"

"uhm, you know chikako misawa right? do I look like her?"

"uhm," he was hesitating at first but then he said "yes,"

"that's why. I also want to help ruka because he wants natsume to be happy and all lively again,"

"oh I see,"

**Meanwhile…**

Luna was inside natsume's room. They were quiet and the atmosphere was pretty dull and heavy. Luna was trying to start a conversation but then natsume said something "why are you here?" she was quiet after that but in the end manages to talk back "because I want you to like me," she said

"oh really?" he said in disbelief, raising a brow at her.

"yes!" she replied surely.

"I'll give you a chance then,"

"huh?" she said while serving natsume's tea.

"I'll give you a chance"

"okay then!" she said "you're going to be mine natsume, mine alone," she thought.

Natsume was about to say something when he suddenly fell dizzy, "it must be working now," luna thought.

he was trying his best to stand and go near his bed, he was half way across his bed when he suddenly collapsed.

"just as I planned," she said while smiling evilly in front of the unconscious natsume.

**Back to mikan and tatsuru…**

They continue chatting and laughing until they both run out of ideas and stories to tell. Tatsuru then saw mikan yawning so he asked her if she wants to go home but instead she said "what if you love someone but he likes you for he/she sees someone else in you? I mean what if you like someone and he/she only likes you because he sees someone important to him to you?" she said in teary eyes.

"uhm, I'll just prove it to him/her that he or she is wrong. Even though he/she sees someone else in me, I have my own characteristics and assets that makes me different from that person. And I'll show that to him/her so that he/she knows that she/he was wrong at the first place." He said while looking up the starless midnight blue sky.

"oh I see! Yosh!" she said, making herself look all brave and all, but she then softens after hearing tatsuru's statement "why did you asked that? is it because you love natsume but she only sees chikako in you?" he said. Tears were surfacing into her shocked looking auburn eyes. She tried holding it up until she gets home but she cant, tatsuru's words just was just too realistic for her. she cried and cried until it made her hiccup. While tatsuru was saying "sorry, I didn't mean too," a couple of times like a broken plate to calm mikan down.

Eventually, she calmed down and smiled once more in front of tatsuru while saying "its alright, at least your words were realistic and true,"

She stood up and wore her sandals again. She then turned to tatsuru and said her thank you and hugged him then left.

The starless midnight sky then released its small cold teardrops. It was raining. She was still running but then as time passed her running became a step by step walk. She was walking under the rain while crying "am I this unlucky that the guy I love doesn't love me because of who I am??" she asked while looking up at the crying sky, letting the small cold drops of rain wash her tears away.

Then she stopped and watches the small waves forming into the beach's surface.

She was letting herself stand under the pouring rain. she didn't mind the cold atmosphere and temperature. She didn't mind if she will get sick after this. nothing matters anymore. The wish that she wants to come true is impossible for her now. As days passed so was her hope. Hope that she will then end up with natsume or if not at least let natsume realize that she and chikako are different from each other.

She then let out a heavy sigh. She still isn't moving from her place. it was still raining and she was still standing under it. she continue crying and releasing those suppressed feelings she hid after meeting natsume. She was deeply frustrated by the things that happened the last few days. She wants to quit the contest and leave him but she can't. first she promised ruka that she will help him change natsume. second, her main objective on joining the contest was to prove that she and chikako are different and third, she also wants to change. Change for the better. The cries of the midnight blue sky then stopped. It was 11 pm and she was on her way home. She was soaking wet. Her blue pleated dress was wet and heavy and was sticking to her body, While the ends of her auburn hair were dripping wet. She walk and walk until she reaches the mansions gates. Haine and hei are at the balcony. They saw mikan coming so they decided to go to the gate and welcome her. they were about to go downstairs and welcome her but then they saw mikan collapsed in front of the gate.

"mikan!" the two girls shouted as they hurriedly went outside.

They saw her all wet and red. They touched her forehead. She was burning hot.

Therefore, they decided to bring mikan to her room. Even sumire was there. Worrying.

"what happened to her? why is she wet?"

"it rain a while ago,"

"maybe she was standing under the rain,"

"but why?"

"she was crying last night. I was with her before."

"me too,"

"what happened?"

She was crying a while ago, but she didn't tell me why," hei said while changing mikan's dress.

"she saw me and haine fighting. She thought that she is the reason why we are fighting," ryana said

"oh, maybe that's why she's acting weird," some of them said.

"oh?"

They took care of mikan the whole night. Luna and natsume was unaware of this. Luna was naked but covered by a white blanket. While natsume was half naked, he was only wearing his boxer shorts.

**The next morning:**

They all ate their breakfast. All of them were present except for mikan. natsume was wondering where was she but he didn't bother asking.

"she's sick. She went home last night soaking wet and with burning fever." Sumire and yuuki said in a worried voice.

He stood up and went to her room. he left his meal at the table, semi finish.

He arrived at her room. He was knocking for a couple of times now but no one answered.

"Im coming in," he said as he turned the door knob.

He entered her room. It was clean and organized. He then saw the brunette, sleeping. He went closer to her to touch her forehead but she shifted and said something "chikako nee-san"

He was shocked he doesn't know what to do.

"it's impossible that the chikako she called a while ago was chikako right?" he asked himself as he picked the towel placed on mikan's semi hot forehead.

"nnn…"mikan said as she turns once more.

"Im sorry," he muttered in front of her as he placed the wet piece of cloth to her fore head again.

"chikako nee-san,"she said once more, while smiling.

She was dreaming all right but no one really knows what it is about, it's only between her and her dreams.

He went to the bathroom to get an extra stool and he sat next to her. he was caressing her long auburn hair and because of this she woke up.

"natsume?" she said while rubbing her eyes childishly.

"…"

"why are you here?" she was trying her best to snob him to make him leave as early as possible.

"…"

"how was your night with luna huh?" she said. She was burning with jealously yet she didn't allow natsume to see through her.

"it was uhm, I don't remember,"

"you don't remember?" she said her tome of voice was angry yet curious.

"who are you calling chikako?" he said. She looked at him with curiosity "what is he talking about?" she thought.

"you're calling this chikako girl in your dreams, who is she?" he said getting impatient.

"she hiding something," he thought.

"chikako? dreams?" she said, playing all dumb.

"shoot! what will happen now?" she thought, she can't think of anything to reason out. She was about to say something but they were interrupted when luna came in and said "I heard that you collapsed last night. Are you alright?" she said acting all worried but she really isn't.

"im alright now, thanks for worrying," she replied.

Then luna turned to natsume and flirtingly said "come on honey, you told me last night that you love me right?" then she kissed his cheeks and drags him outside the brunette's room.

She was shocked after that. She sighed in relief that natsume didn't questioned her further more but she was hurt when she heard luna said "you told me that you love me right?" the statement of the evil lass keeps on playing into her confused mind. Like a broken plate. "why is this happening to me?" she asked.

She hugged her knees and started crying again. She was hurt. She doesn't know what to do anymore. then someone knocked. It was haine, hei, and ryana. They saw mikan with red and puffy eyes.

"are you alright?" ryana asks worryingly.

"…"

"we brought you some food mi-chan," haine said

"are you feeling alright now?" hei said while approaching mikan.

"yes. thank you," was all she said.

"anyway, did luna pay you a visit? She told us that she will come see you,"

"yes she did. And she saw me and natsume talking." She said

"what happened next?" they asked

"she dragged natsume out of here but before that she told natsume that "you told me last night that you love me right?" in front of me," she said.

Tears were resurfacing again. she can't help it but to cry. She was confused, miserable, and hurt.

"are you alright?" ryana said, sitting near her.

Mikan suddenly hug ryana then burst out crying. Hei and haine went closer to them and pat mikan.

"it's alright mikan,"

"things will turn put right,"

The two girls are trying their best to calm her down but she continues crying.

"I'm (sobs) cant help (sobs) but to feel hu(sobs)rt and miserable(sobs)I don't know(sobs) what to (sobs) do," she was hiccupping in between.

"it's alright, mikan." she was rubbing her back. she can't help it but to pity the nice brunette.

"I just want to be happy," she said as ryana broke the hug.

"why don't you just rest? we'll just fix things up when you're feeling a lot better. Okay?" she said a she tucked the brunette under her nice and warm blanket. She was quiet all that time but she was running out of breath because of her hiccupping cries a while ago. She just smiled at them and said "sorry for the bother,"

"silly you. Of course it's fine." they said as they excited the room. Only ryana was left in there because mikan said so.

"don't be too harsh on yourself," she said to the brunette.

"I just want to be happy. Why can't I have that?" she said.

Ryana continue caressing her hair till the brunette fell asleep.

"things will turn out fine," she said as she looks at the sleeping brunette.

**Meanwhile…**

"so what happen to your night with natsume?" sumire asks to luna.

"I did what you told me too. I slipped the powder that you gave to me before I went to his room and something did happen between us," she said while reminiscing what happened last night.

"it should work out properly then," sumire said while smirking at luna.

"yes. It will," she replied.

**A/n:**

**Yea I know grammar errors..**

**Wah!!  
I really cant fix them..**

**:C**

How was it??

Yea I know its boring... sumimasen

Wah!!!  
**In addition, thank you so much for reviewing my chapter ten! I appreciate it!!**

natsume-meg93

aNiMe pRiNcEsS24

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natsumemikan06

allyssa

Alexa

Mikaro

iCedmoCha

oO0OoyummyflakesoO0Oo

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	12. truth to be told

**Disclaimer: **I don't own GA but I wish I do…

**ruin princess:** hello guys im back!sorry for the long wait. this chappi may be a little boring but i promise you, this will be the second to the last miserable chappie and everything will be fine after that. the miserable theme of the chappies will be gone for a while! anywa! advance happy valentines day to everyone!!! now..let's continue with the story shall we??...

* * *

**Previously…**

**Meanwhile…**

"so what happen to your night with natsume?" sumire asked luna.

"I did what you told me to. I slipped the powder that you gave me before I went to his room and something did happen between us," she said while reminiscing what happened last night.

"it should work out properly then," sumire said while smirking at luna.

"yes. It will," she replied.

**End of chapter 11

* * *

**

**Chapter 12: truth to be told**

"_something kept for so long may be discovered someday,"_

**Continuing for the last chappie…**

Inside the brunette's room laid a sleeping brown haired girl, beside her was a raven haired girl, looking after her. it was ryana.

**K-N-O-C-K- K-N-O-C-K-**

It was haine. "go get some sleep rya," haine said while approaching the two figures.

"are you okay with it?? wouldn't you mind?" she said.

"its okay! go ahead and get some sleep. I'll look after her, you might get sick you know, if you continue this," she said.

"fine then, but if you need something just come to my room okay?" she said while standing up. She walked to the door. She turned the golden knob when haine suddenly said "wait." causing ryana to stop at her tracks. Half of her body was already outside when she turned around and said "what is it?"

"Im sorry," she heard her best friend muttered looking downwards.

"oh its okay haine," while smiling ear to ear to her best friend. Then she went out and closed the door, leaving mikan and haine alone.

She looked at the sleeping brunette first before sitting as if asking her permission if she can. While looking at her, she mumbled her words of apology while holding the brunette's hand. She felt very bad and guilty on what she had said to the sweet and innocent brunette, she was just trying to help and she know it, yet she said those horrible and heart wrenching words to her at the heat of the moment.

"he-haine?" she was rubbing her innocent orbs to sharpen her newly-open eyes.

"Im sorry. I didn't mean to say those things to you, sorry for being rude."

"oh, it's okay," she said while flapping her hand up and down into the thin air.

"Im really sorry," she said.

"its okay! it's my fault anyway. so let's just be friends okay?" she said while reaching her hand out to hers, offering a handshake.

"so, do you wanna eat? I bet you're hungry. You haven't eaten yet right?" she was feeling a lot better now that she was able to say her apology to her. she nodded as an answer to her question. she smiled and said her "please," After that haine stood up, went into the door and said "I'll be right back," after that she was gone.

Mikan was once again alone inside her room. Then luna knocked and entered unwelcome inside her room. her face was carrying a serious expression as she approach the sitting brunette.

"feeling better?" she asked while smiling at her.

"yes, thank you for worrying," she said in a rightful manner, as she slightly inclines her head to show her respect.

"l was wondering if I can ask you a favor." She then said. Her tone of voice was completely different from before. Her tone was now more serious and commanding.

"su-sure," she said nervously.

"okay then, since you want to know my oh-so-easy-favor, here it is then." She stopped at the middle of her sentence "ready?" she continued.

She nodded.

"let me clear this to you. From what you had heard a while ago, it is true that something happened between natsume and I so don't even try meddling in our affairs," she said in an I-so-own-natsume-tone

She was shocked.

She was hurt.

She was jealous.

She was crying inside.

And for the second time in her stay, she didn't know what to say.

"Im not yet done with you sakura, so listen carefully" she said while grasping mikan's cheeks.

"from now until your remaining days in here, I want you to stay away as much as possible form natsume! I don't want to see you hanging around or flirting with him, understand?" she said in a menacing voice. Her eyes are burning with possessiveness. Her evil grin was resurfacing again from her face as she let goes of her cheeks. She didn't utter a word after those phrases, instead she looked down, and her hands are tightly gripped on her bed sheet.

"are we clear?" luna said, but she didn't reply. She then glared to luna at a very hateful way, every corner of her orbs were filled with anger as she continues to stare at the girl standing in front of her.

Luna was shocked but was able to maintain her composure. They were glaring at each other but luna broke it as she heard footsteps nearing the brunette's room. She walked towards the door, turned the door knob, and said "remember what I told you sakura, or your precious secret will be disclose," she said before leaving mikan's room.

Once again, her heart was filled with pain.

With lies.

With deception.

Haine then entered her room.

"here, do you need something else?" she asks while handing the tray of food to the brunette.

"I need a shoulder to cry on," she mumbled, her eyes was covered with her auburn bangs. Haine cannot tell what had happened but from the looks of it, for the second time, she was hurt by someone inside the mansion.

She didn't answer; instead she pulled the brunette's head towards her shoulder and let her rest onto it.

"cry as much as you like," she said while looking at her sideways. She was quiet for a while but after that she then burst out crying.

"what happened to you now?" she said, her voice was concern yet didn't show any signs of being shock.

"I'll tell you later, along with the others," she said hiccupping in between.

"okay then, if you say so..." she replies calmly, while stroking her long auburn hair. she continues sobbing, until she ran out of breath. She was gasping for air yet she continues to let out her negative feelings and pain.

She only stopped crying after a while. Gasping for air, she stood up, went straight into the bathroom, and washed her face. She totally forgot about the invention that hotaru gave her. it was a hair clip, a violet colored forget-me-not flower. She was wearing it the whole time and it was explained to her by her best friend that the clip itself reflects the emotion felt at a certain time by the person wearing it by the means of color changing.

"it's been blue for days now mikan, it even turned gray when you were unconscious," said haine who was leaning at the bathroom door.

"oh, I see. She must be worried about me then," she said. Her statement made haine wonder.

"what is she talking about?" she thought.

"anyway, let's go eat. Share with me okay?" she said while smiling once more at her.

"don't push yourself if you're not fine yet," her friend stated.

"Im fine, Im fine. Im feeling a lot better now." she said in a convincing way.

"if you say so," she said.

They were silent. She and haine are just eating together.

"haine, one more thing please. Can you call everybody for me except sumire and luna?" she said faintly while looking down.

"okay then. I'll be right back," she said as she stands up.

"thanks!"

She went out while mikan went to the bathroom to take a warm shower. A half hour passed. Mikan went out from the bathroom wearing her pink robe. Her hair was wrapped by her favorite white towel.

"sorry for bothering you." she said while walking going to her bed.

"it's alright. We're all bored anyway," yuuki said

"so what's the prob??" asked hei while playing with her yuuki's hair.

"uhm, I need to tell you something," mikan said, stammering.

"okay!"

"we'll listen!" said ryana.

"remember the day when a staff said to introduce yourselves??"

They all nodded.

"and luna and sumire suddenly cut me off and told me to tell you guys about my family background?"

They all nodded except for yuuki and hei.

"so where are we getting?" asked asae, who is getting impatient because of mikan's phrasy explanation. **(A/n: translation: unfinished and cut, cut explanation)**

"let her explain it. it must be complicated for her. she looks so serious." Nanako whispered to asae who was looking intently at mikan who was looking down.

"never mind her, mi-chan, just continue. We'll listen" said riiko who was sitting between hei and seriko.

"…" she didn't reply. Instead she looked at them and waited for them to stop.

**S-I-L-E-N-C-E-**

"you all know chikako misawa right?" she asked.

"of course we do!" they said in a faint shout.

"we're half sisters." she said flatly while taking a small picture out from her notebook, A picture of chikako and her in front of their elementary school.

"what's this?" asae asks.

"can you tell which is which?" mikan asked gloomily.

They all stared at the picture for a couple of minutes, in the end they gave up by saying "I can't," except for ryana who was observing the picture intently and thoroughly then she said "the girl who's wearing a pony tail is you, I suppose and the one who's hair is down is chikako right?" she said as she gazes upon mikan's reaction. She was quiet for a while, still looking down. She looked up and her tears are surfacing to her eyes. "how did you know?"

"you didn't change at all, you still have they same old sparkle in your eyes that you have right now." she said surely.

"thanks!" at least someone was making her feel better.

"so it's true then!"

"so that's why you joined!"

"so, does natsume know?" the brunette shook her head.

"when are you going to tell him?"

"when the right time comes."

"do you want us to help you?" they all said in unison but the brunette just smiled at them and said "no thanks."

Then the secret meeting was dismissed. They all bid their goodbye to each other and slept.

**The next morning…**

Mikan and the others are standing in front of the villa they were staying at. They are all waiting for the bus to arrive since today is the scheduled day where in they are going back to the mansion.

"mikan!" called tatsuru while running towards the villa.

"hi!" she said happily as if nothing happened these past few days

"I want to give you this," he said while reaching to his short's pocket.

It's a necklace. A simple looking white beaded necklace he bought yesterday.

"it nice!!" she said while holding it.

"I envy you mikan! he's so sweet!"

"hehehe," she said while putting the necklace by herself.

"here, let me help you," he said. She brought her hair up and gave the necklace to him. He went behind her and assisted her to put the necklace to her. **CLICK. **After that, the necklace was securely attached to her neck.

"thanks!" she said while arranging her hair.

"I'll mss you!"

"me too," she said as she throws herself to her childhood friend, giving him a tight hug.

"mikan!" called yuuki who was near natsume. she was observing natsume's reaction and she knows that the young lad was burning with jealousy.

"huh?" she asked, facing yuuki. Her eyes then met natsume's piercing, glaring ruby eyes. She was hypnotized by his eyes for a while but then she looked at a different direction upon seeing luna's death glare.

Cheater she thought.

"I guess we'll see each other again huh?" tatsuru said. Then out of nowhere she kissed mikan's cheeks. Making the brunette shocked and happy at the same time and the girls to squeal in excitement and sweetness, but as for natsume, what he was feeling was the opposite. He was burning with hatred and jealousy.

"who is this jerk anyway? And why is he holding **MY MIKAN**?" he thought.

"tch, loser," he continued.

"bye now!" natsume heard tatsuru said as he runs farther and farther away from the girls and mikan

"bye!" the brunette shouted.

After that the bus arrived. One by one they entered and occupied the seats inside.

"mikan! sit beside us!" called ryana, haine, and hei.

"is it okay with you guys?" she said. "cause I can sit over there," she continued while pointing to a chair far from all of them.

"silly goose! No! sit beside us!" hei said while hitting the empty seat beside her, signaling mikan that she can sit there.

"thanks!" she said as she sits next to hei.

"that's okay!" she said.

After occupying all of the sits inside the coaster, the bus started its engine and off they go…

While talking happily with hei, ryana, asae, yuuki, and haine, she sensed somebody throwing glances at her. she was looking from different places then she saw the culprit. The natsume hyuuga. He was secretly looking at her since the trip begun. He was wondering what happened to her because it's so obvious that the brunette was avoiding him and he doesn't have any idea why.

"I gotta talk to that little girl later," he thought

"what happened to her?? is she angry? or is she offended on what that bitch had said the other day?"

He continues pondering into his own thought, while mikan continue minding her own business. Hours after, the girls who were noisy and chatting a while ago all fell asleep; even mikan was one of them. Leaning on each other's shoulders, all of them were sleeping comfortably when someone said we're here!

They all woke up, rubbing their eyes; they one by one got up, grab their bags, and went off the coaster. Mikan being slow didn't notice that they went ahead of her, she also didn't notice that the only person who was there with her was natsume.

He saw her getting her bags from the shelf above her so he decided to go and help her. she knew that he's gonna approach her so she hurriedly grabs her stuff and was about to run when natsume suddenly grabbed her arm and said "why are you avoiding me?" in a questioning tone. His cold looking ruby eyes are covered by his long raven bangs.

She didn't answer, but she strangled her way out of natsume's grasp.

"you don't need to know," she said

"why?"

"cause I don't want you to, this has nothing to do with you and I just don't like you anymore."

"I don't believe you,"

"I don't care,"

She was let go by natsume but before resuming her walk she then said "Im sick of getting hurt every single day," then she walked off.

He was startled by her words "hurt? everyday?" he thought

After that, he went off the coaster too and went straight to the sakura trees to lessen his frustrations while mikan went straight to her room to drop off her belongings and was also planning to go to the sakura tree.

**Meanwhile…**

"where is natsume-kun?" asked a certain girl to everybody she comes across to.

"I don't know."

"I wonder what happen to mikan. why is she like that?" he was deep in his thought when he suddenly heard footsteps nearing his favorite spot. He hid himself to the other side of the sakura tree so that he will not be notice whoever the person may be.

"hi Mr. tree, long time no see," the soft and relaxing voice came from the standing brunette. She was rubbing the tree trunk slowly.

"what is she doing In here?" he thought.

"you know what, Mr. Tree, many things happened while we were away." she said. She was now sitting down near the tree roots. She was leaning comfortably to the other side of the trunk.

"luna was there too, she even told me that I should stay away from her natsume cause something happened between them." she said melancholically.

"that bitch!" he thought

"she even threaten me that if I don't stay away from him, she'll-," but she didn't finish her sentence.

"she'll what?" he thought.

"anyway, the whole trip was a mixture of happiness and sadness. At first I was glad that natsume was that caring to me, but after that, I guess not. Because of what had luna said, I began avoiding him from no definite reason at all and it hurts me," she said. She hugged her knees closer to her chest, leaned her forehead to her knees, and started sobbing quietly.

"but its okay, ryana, hei, haine, yuuki, asae and the others are there for me," she said between her cries.

Hearing this made him angry and sad at the same time yet he continue listening to her cries and complains.

"I hope everything will be fine after this because if this continues, maybe I'll just drop from this contest. Sorry ruka-pyon, sorry hotaru-chan, and sorry nee-chan," she said unclearly.

"nee-chan? i thought she's an only child."

"oi sakura!" shouted luna while approaching her.

"why are you with natsume before? Didn't I tell you to stay away from him?" she said furiously.

"but I don't even talked to him," she said while standing up.

"liar!" then she slapped her.

"oi bitch!" said a cold voice from behind.

"na-natsume?" said luna.

"what are you doing to her? and who told you that you own me huh bitch?" he continued while nearing himself at mikan.

"but something happened between us, and that makes us a couple," she said

"couple your face. And from now on, don't ever let me see you shitty face to me okay?!"

"na-natsu," mikan wasn't able to finish her sentence because she collapsed.

"mikan!"

"hn," said luna and walked off "we're not yet done," she muttered

"mikan! mikan! wake up!" cried the panicking natsume as he lightly slaps her cheeks but no response. He touched her forehead, it was burning hot.

"idiot! Straining yourself like that!" he said as he covers her cold body by his jacket. He carried her bridal style and brought her to his room. There he laid her cold and unconscious body to his warm and comfy bed and tucked her inside his warm and heavy blankets.

"idiot." He said while heading inside the bathroom to get a pail of cold water and a piece of cloth.

He went back and attended her the whole night, changing the piece of cloth into her forehead as it dries and. Eventually he only fell asleep after being satisfied at the lowering fever of the brunette.

"mikan, Im sorry," he mumbled while holding her hand as he drift off to his asleep.

* * *

**A/n:**

**Yea I know grammar errors..**

**Wah!!  
I really cant fix them..**

**:C**

How was it??

Yea I know its boring... sumimasen

Wah!!!

* * *

**In addition, thank you so much for reviewing my chapter eleven! I appreciate it!!**

anime16

lolita6othic

aNiMe pRiNcEsS24

xXMitsumeXx

mangalover128

allyssa

-'-avid'-'punk-'-

animefreak-alexa

natsumemikan06

Dominiqueanne

-awy35-

sakura-hime18

Cutenatsumexmikan

oO0OoyummyflakesoO0Oo

funny sakura

Kimiko-Sakura

sakurapetal246

Petalsarefallingxoxo


	13. we need to clear things up

**Disclaimer: **I don't own GA but I wish I do…

**ruin princess:** ohayou minna-san! gomene for the long wait. I was so busy this weekend because I am so busy with homework and school stuffs. I hope you like this chappie, it long, and Im sorry. anyway, belated happy valentine's day to all and don't forget! **REVIEW **after reading, I need it to be my inspiration. Well, who can be my uhm, what is that called? Beta reader? I want someone to help me with my writing flaws..

well, enough of this time wasting texts and let's continue with our story shall we:)

* * *

**Previously:**

He went back and attended her the whole night, changing the piece of cloth into her forehead as it dries and. Eventually he only fell asleep after being satisfied at the lowering fever of the brunette.

"Mikan, Im sorry," he mumbled while holding her hand as he falls asleep.

**end of chapter 12

* * *

**

**chapter 13: we need to clear things up…**

"_if there is anything better than being loved, it is loving,"_

The blinding, bright rays of sunlight coming from outside woke our sleeping raven hair lad. His fine and smooth fingers were still intertwined with the brunette's. he opened his eyes, revealing his piercing ruby eyes. He glanced at the sleeping girl beside him and then nears himself to her. he gave her a light, quick morning kiss then broke it. then lean towards her ears and whispered "I still need you, so please don't leave me," then he stood up, and silently left.

Moments after, the brunette woke up. "what was that about it's like its true," she muttered while rubbing the back of her neck. "why am I here? I remember sitting at the sakura tree, talking to Mr. Tree then uhm, yeah, Luna talked to me and then I saw Natsume" she said. She was silent for a couple of minutes and then shouts "Natsume?!" in disbelieve.

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

"are you alright Mikan-chan?" Haine asked worriedly.

"yea, Im perfectly fine, why?"

"are you sure?" butted Asae who was getting more and more attach to the lively brunette "Im so gonna kill this brat if he hurts Mikan again!" she thought.

"yea! But thanks for worrying though" she said.

"we're not done yet sakura, and since you broke our agreement, I'll disclose your secret then, but not now, I'll let you go this time," Luna thought while glaring deadly at the smiling brunette who was eating with the others.

"so she doesn't have any idea huh? That I heard her talking to Mr. tree and her agreement to that bitch?" he thought quietly.

"why is looking at me?" she thought because for the second time, raven met auburn.

"why is she looking at me?" he too thought.

"why are they looking at each other?" the girls thought.

Yuuki who was sitting next to Mikan is tapping her shoulder, but that didn't stop the brunette from gazing at the raven lad.

"what is it yuuki?" she asked, still looking at Natsume.

Yuuki then lean her lips into her ears and whispered "why are you staring at Natsume?" she didn't notice that herself. She was indeed looking, no staring at Natsume for along time now, after hearing that she shrieked a "eh?!" That's when she broke her "stare" to the handsome lad sitting near her. different hues of red were painted across her cheeks as she faced the girls. "am I doing that for a long time now?" she whispered in a tiny weenie incy voice.

They all nodded.

"eh?!" she freaked out in a low voice. The girls giggled, even Sumire giggled, but not Luna.

"then why didn't you tell me?" she said disappointingly.

"we were, actually, the tap that yuuki did to you was our 5th try, and yet that didn't prevent you from breaking the "eye contact" you have from him." Kanako explained.

"eh-ehem," interrupted Natsume who was looking at their "small meeting,"

"ah, ahehehe," Mikan replied as she sat comfortably in the chair again.

"I forget we're still eating ne?" she smiled.

"baka Mikan!" the girls teased.

"eh?!" she said as she glared at them.

"we also recorded them!" haine said as she pulled the video cam under the table.

"eh?!" she shrieked.

"are you kidding me?!"

"hn."

"here, wanna watch it?" haine said, as she gives the video cam to Mikan.

"hell no!" she quickly refused.

"give it to me," Natsume said in an icy tone.

"eh?" they all wondered

"let me watch it,"

"if you say so,"

She handed the video cam in defeat, Mikan in the other hand was eyeing him carefully as he watches it quietly. In the end, she saw him smirked and then she pouted.

"what is he thinking?" she thought but she unconsciously shouted it out loud.

"idiot." he whispered.

"what are you mumbling about and who are you calling an idiot huh?" she asked irritably.

He stood up, walked near her, leaned closer to ear and seductively whispered…

"it's none of your business polka, and for the idiot part, of course you are the one I am calling an idiot honey," while whispering this Mikan, was feeling this "light and uplifting" feeling which made her blush and smile inwardly.

"what is he trying to do?" she thought

"are you done now?" he whispered again into her ears.

"huh?"

"are you done looking at my handsome face now huh **honey**?" he asked once more, emphasizing the word "

honey"

"huh? EH?! what are you talking about? You're so full of yourself." After that she stood and walked away, leaving them all alone.

"what is he thinking?" she mumbled as she march her way through the spacious hallway.

"Im just going to go visit Mr. tree then, hmp" she then continue walking.

"what happened to her?" they thought.

"what was that for huh? You're such a jerk Natsume!" shouted Asae who's upset to Natsume.

"hn," was all he said then walks away.

"im going to the cherry blossom tree then," he said to himself while walking through the spacious and well-lit hallway.

"girls, we need to plan something," whispered hei while watching the "video" they secretly took a while ago.

"what plan are you talking about?" butted the sea weed haired girl as she forcefully joins herself into the crowd.

"its nothing," they answered as fast as they could.

"hn," then Sumire and Luna walked out.

"what is she trying to do??" they all wondered in unison.

"anyway, let's just talk later, me need to fix this stuff," haine and nanako said in unison as they pointed out the undone plates and glasses.

"yea, yea" then they started cleaning it. after a while they all finished it then together, they headed to Ryana's room.

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

**Meanwhile…**

Windy surroundings, small pink raining petals, and a silent atmosphere the perfect resting spot, or that's what they think.

"what are you doing here?" shouted Mikan while looking at Natsume who was standing in front of him.

"Im going to rest here, honey," he said while smirking smugly at her.

"you insensitive jerk! I was here first!" she shouted.

"see if I care." He icily replied then looks away.

"hn," with that, she sat at the opposite side of the tree, watching the serene surrounding around her.

"what is trying to do? Is he breaking the ice between us? But why in the form of teasing?" she thought out loud.

"it's because you're avoiding me, polka," was his answer.

"woah Natsume! I never thought that you can read minds! that's amazing!" she said in awe, as she crawls near Natsume, who was leaning at the opposite side of the trunk.

"baka! I don't read minds okay? And for your stupid information, you just said it out loud." He stated in a bored tone.

"hn," then she stood up, dusted her skirt, and started walking away, but before she could even step forward again, Natsume grabbed her wrist and pinned her at the tree's trunk.

"what are you doing huh Natsume?" she said in outrange.

"we need to talk," he stated in a serious tone. He was looking straight into Mikan's eyes, in which Mikan finds irresistible yet awkward. She was silent.

"what do you want to do??" he said, but he received nothing in reply. Silence.

"how can you still smile when those bitches are on to you huh? Harassing and making your life miserable?" he continues, but all Mikan was able to say is "it's because I don't want my secret to be disclosed."

"what secret are you talking about?" he

"none of your business." She replied in a cold manner.

"haven't you thought about for whose sake did I scold those bitches for? Especially that Luna?" his voice was cold yet showing a tinge of worry.

"…"

"she even threaten you and that's okay?!"

Not receiving any replies again, he let go of her.

"I am doing this for your sake and mine as well, I don't want this "relationship" of ours to get worse." She said in a stiff manner.

"what are you talking abut?" he asked, his eyes was still looking straight into hers.

"nothing, Hyuuga-san,"

"I love you Mikan!" he blurted out of the blue while looking down; his eyes were covered by his black, silky bangs as he loosens his grip into her wrist.

"I love you," he repeated once more.

"…" she wasn't able to say anything at first. It all happened so fast that her brain wasn't able to absorb what is happening, but in the end she manages to "stop toying with my feeling Natsume,. I am not that kind of girl who will let you play with then just like that," with that, she walked off. Natsume was left there, dumbfounded, or at least that's what he thought.

"Natsume-sama," called a cold voice. He looked up to the source of the voice only to find Luna standing near him.

"what do you want bitch? Didn't I tell you to stay away from me?" he said as cold ever.

"my, my Natsume-sama, aren't we grumpy today," she stated in a way that made Natsume shiver.

She neared herself near him and whispered into his ears, "I know what secret that Mikan is talking about," she said

"I don't care."

"then don't, it's a pity though, it has something to do with your sweet Chikako," she said in a seducing way which made Natsume be curious.

"what are you talking about?" he questioned as he raised a brow at her.

"you really want to know?" she said teasingly while grinning inwardly.

"spill it now bitch, I don't have the whole day."

"you're beloved Chikako Misawa and your present love, Mikan Sakura are sisters. Half sisters." She stated calmly.

His face stiffed, his eyes went as wide as saucers, and his facial reaction cannot be painted.

"stop saying those kind of lies bitch." He said after a moment of silence.

"Im not lying Natsume-sama," she said, convincing as hard as she could to convince the lad.

"shut up! Leave this place now!" he requested. No. more that requested, he commanded,

"if you say so then, but if you someday change your mind and believe me, just feel free to visit me at my room," with that she walked away, carrying a smirk into her face.

"perfect!" she muttered.

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

**back to Ryana and the others…**

they just finished planning some measures to make Mikan and Natsume a couple.

"are you sure this plan will be flawless? I mean having Sumire and Luna around, we're not sure if this is gonna work,"

"just believe me and everything will be fine,"

"okay okay, sheesh."

**K-N-O-C-K- K-N-O-C-K-**

"Mi- Mikan?"

"huh?"

"why are you here? Shouldn't you be outside?"

"huh? what are you talking about??"

"uh-I mean nothing. ahehehehe" they replied

"you're hiding something are you?"

"no, of course not," they replied nervously.

"fine then,"

"so, what are you guys talking about a while ago?"

"what do you mean?"

"I heard you guys laughing and whispering things," she said

"oh, hohoho, that's nothing, nothing to ask or anything," they said, still nervous.

"anyway, you know what, something happened a while ago,"

"what is it Mikan?"

"uhm, you know what.." she stopped in the middle of the sentence.

"what?"

"Natsume, he uhm,"

"what?!"

"he confessed…"

"what?!"

"he told me that he loves me, but I turned him down, I mean I told him to stop toying with my feelings, and then I left." She said without any signs of regret.

"are you freakin' serious?!" they said, no, they shouted.

"ye-yes, why?"

"he loves you, you idiot!" Mizuki said surely.

"how sure are you?"

"uhm, can't you even see that he cares for you? I mean we saw you being carried by Natsume the other day because you collapsed, and we also saw Luna talking with you before," Kanako, Seriko and Yui said in unison.

"we mean, before you collapsed that is," Riiko added.

"and we even saw Natsume, he was eavesdropping, I mean he was also leaning at that trunk opposite to where you are leaning." Nanako butted too.

"what?! so that means that Natsume heard everything? From the threats, and name calling and everything? She said

They all nodded.

"what are we talking about again?" Kumiko asked, feeling a little bit of lost.

"this doesn't make any sense,"

"I mean anything falls into place now,"

"what do you mean?"

"he told me that for whose sake it is that he scolded Luna for, and he asked me about the secret, but of course I didn't disclosed that to him, but now that you think of it, everything is falling into place."

"what else happened?"

"uhm, nothing much after that, he was saying all those weird stuff that I know nothing about like "what do you want to do??"

"how can you still smile when those bitches are on to you huh? Harassing and making your life miserable?" and "haven't you thought about for whose sake did I scold those bitches for? Especially that Luna?" after that, "she even threaten you and that's okay?!" she said as she imitates Natsume

"see! He does care for you!"

"you're so innocent Mikan," they teased.

"am not!"

"yeha!"

"am not,"

"yeha!"

"fine, fine, but I do like him; it's just that it will be difficult for me to confess because of Luna threatening me and the following circumstances after that," she said in a melancholic voice.

"I don't want him to love me because he only sees her in me," she continues,

**S-M-A-C-K**

"What crap are you talking about? Didn't he just confess a while ago? So that means that he likes you for who you are, not because of your onee-chan," Asae explained, a little impatient.

"stop making things so hard for the two of you Mikan," haine said.

"but-,"

"no buts!"

"we're gonna help you instead!" they said proudly.

"eh?" her head was slightly inclined indicating that she is confused.

"just leave it to us," with that, the surrounded Mikan and started pushing her back towards the oak door, Ryana opened the door, and they continue pushing Mikan outside.

"hey! I can walk by myself you know," she said while pouting in front of the close door in front of her

"just what are they planning to do?" she thought.

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

**Natsume: cherry blossom trees**

"what is she talking about? secret?" he thought deeply while looking at the beautiful raining petals of cherry blossom.

"she and Chikako are related?" is that even true?"

"nonsense,"

"but if that is true, wouldn't it seem like I like her because I can see her to her?"

"anyway, now that I think about it, it all fits perfectly," he said to himself as certain flashbacks from the first days they met evaded his thoughts.

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

**Flashbacks: they are not connected to each other, but they are pertaining to one thing, Chikako Misawa, and Mikan Sakura.**

"uhm, do you also think that I and that Chikako looks exactly the same?"

"why did you ask? I thought you don't know her?"

"uhm, my classmates, they showed me a picture of her. They also told me that we look like twins," chuckling at the idea. He carefully examines her, he is looking at her from head to toe.

"ye-yes, actually you remind me of her, that's why I asked you a while ago," he said flatly,

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'--''-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

Tears are forming into her eyes now, she was still quiet, and Natsume was just standing in front of her, looking at her soon to be crying eyes.

"I didn't mean to compare you and Chikako, its just like I see you in her that's all, Im sorry, if I offended you in a way," he said calmly getting Mikan's attention

-'-'-'-'-'-''-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-''-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

"is she that important to you huh? That even though she's already dead you're still there sulking, when Im here for you. Didn't you realize that even thought you always try to push me away, I always manage to come back and try to make you smile? And can't you even sense that I am here worrying for you? You insensitive jerk!" she said in a rage. She never felt this hurt and angry before. It feels to her like her heart is being stab by a well sharpen knife.

**End of flashbacks**

"I need to talk to her," he mumbled before he drifted off to sleep.

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

**Mikan's room**

A girl around 16 years old is in her pajamas, lying comfortably at her comfy mattress, her arm was placed on top of her forehead, deep in thoughts.

"loves me huh? she said faintly.

"is that even true?" she asks herself

"and I bet that that bitch already disclosed my secret,"

"maybe, one day I can return his feelings for me confidently, not worrying about the following circumstances," she said while looking at her and Chikako's childhood picture.

"I wonder what will happen next?" she thought

Her deepening thoughts were then disturbed when she heard a consecutive knocking outside her door.

"who the hell is this? Visiting me at a time like this?" she said under her breath.

She opened the door, revealing a handsome lad standing in front of her.

"why are you here? Our discussion was over isn't it? I don't need your sermons,"

"I need to talk to you,"

"I don't have a damn time talking to you, your just wasting my time and at the same time hurting my feelings,"

"it's important,"

"I don't-," she wasn't able finish her sentence because she was being carried by the young lad who is heading towards her bed, there he dropped her off and caged her. wearing a white polo shirt with three buttons unbutton, who will not find it irresistible and sexy?

"what are you doing in here?" she said in outrage.

"I need to talk to you,"

"we've done enough talking for today and Im sick and tired of being hurt because of you," she said while avoiding his melting stare at her.

"please, get out of my room, Im getting tired of being hurt repeatedly," she said while trying her best to escape his cage.

He was silent for a minute and that caught her attention, looking at him now, he suddenly brushed his lips into hers and started kissing her roughly and possessively but with a touch of gentleness. His kissed caused her to be distracted and not to be able to think straight, she was slowly drowning into his scent which she loved; she was slowly drowning into his kiss which is making her go crazy. Yet all she can do is to respond and savor every moment of the kiss. He licked her strawberry flavored lips, begging for entrance, to freely explore and at the same time taste her insides and she allowed him. His tongue was able to taste every corner of her inside and they both loved it. moments after those deep French kisses, they broke it. he was then surprise to see her crying.

"sorry, I wasn't able to stop myself," he said for then he thought that that made her cry, but she didn't replied.

"are you done toying and playing with my feelings huh?" she said while glaring at him.

"im not toying with your feelings Mikan, I already told you, I love you." He said surely while trying to calm the brunette down.

"stop saying all those lies, if you don't love me or like me, please don't be too nice and caring," she said while covering both of her ears.

"I told you, I wasn't playing with your feeling Mikan,"

"then explain to me why something happened between you and Luna." She said trying to stop her continuous cries.

"its nothing,"

"prove it," and with that, he bend near her again and started giving her those butterfly kisses, she was shock yet she let out those faint moans indicating that she was loving it, and with that he continue doing this until it got lower and lower and in the end that made her stop crying.

"are you happy now?" he said to the girl lying next to him, covered only by their blanket.

"I didn't told you to go this far,"  
"but you enjoyed it,"

"…"

"Mikan, I love you," he whispered, after that he gave her a goodnight kiss at her forehead which made her cheeks pink.

She raised herself a little, still covered by the sheets; she nears her face into his and said

"Im going to tell you this once,"

"huh?"

"I love you, Natsume Hyuuga," with that she sealed her confession into a goodnight kiss and returned to her place. Her head on top of his stretched arm she whispered "I love you," for the second time and closed her eyes.

"oyasumi, my Mikan,"

"Oyasumi, Natsume,"

"im sorry I didn't tell you about me and nee-san," was her last thought before going drifting off to sleep.

He turned off the lights, snuggled her closer to himself and said "I love you," and then he too drifted of to his sleep.

**End of chapter 13**

**A/n:**

**Yea I know grammar errors.**

**Wah!!  
I really cant fix them..**

**:C**

How was it??

Yea I know its boring... sumimasen

Wah!!!  
**In addition, thank you so much for reviewing my chapter twelve! I appreciate it!!**

sarahpatrick

lolita6othic

aNiMe pRiNcEsS24

xXMitsumeXx

xXshadow-sakuraXx

Natsume-meg93

-awy35-

mangalover128

animefreak-alexa

Dominiqueanne

sakura-hime18

CuteNatsumexMikan

helltishL0Ve

sakurapetal246

funny sakura

Kimiko-Sakura


	14. dear readers and reviewers:

**Dear my precious readers and reviewers:**

I just wanna say that I am so thankful for supporting me up to this point of time, but I just want to say that ruin princess will be gone for a little while maybe a week or two. But let me ask you this first before saying goodbye, do you really like my fics?? Its not that I am not happy about it. It's just that I just want to know the truth. Please tell me.. Im really confuse right now if I should still continue writing or not. I know that I am NOT a professional writer, and I have my own flaws. In addition, I also admit that I SUCK at GRAMMAR. Being new in here in fanfic is at the same time happy and sad. And I am so happy that I met you guys and you keep on supporting my fics, but once you received a FLAME, I NEVER thought that it will feel this way. It feels like someone just insulted me in a way and now im really telling you guys how I felt. I hope you're not disappointed for me resting for a while and for being a sensitive and softhearted writer but what can I do?? Im just new in here so im so sorry.. sorry for this selfish wish of mine..im really really sorry...

-bows-  
I'll be back as soon as I can I promise and please let me know what you really think about my fics okay??

sorry again.


	15. a fragile relationship

**Disclaimer: **I don't own GA but I wish I do…

**Ruin princess:** im back minna-san! Sorry for the long wait! Well anyway, I just want to thanks **flor-desu** for being my beta reader!! Thanks again!! Well, this chappie will be about the elimination round. Hope you like it! And **DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW OKAY! **Thanks!! In addition, about the last chap. I just wanna thank you guys! The last chap itself received 26 reviews!! Im so happy! Yey just continue giving me reviews okay??! C: please read my other fic "my regretted past," and please vote, so that I know what fic should I write next, just go to my profile okay?

Let's continue with the story shall we?

**Previously:**

"Oyasumi, MY Mikan,"

"Oyasumi, Natsume,"

"Im sorry I didn't tell you about me and nee-san," was her last thought before going drifting off to sleep.

He turned off the lights, snuggled her closer to himself and said "I love you," and then he too drifted of to his sleep.

**End of chapter 13**

**Chapter 14: a fragile relationship**

"_Everything is being fulfilled because I feel like I can do anything with you by my side," _

"Aaahhhhh..." said a stretching brunette while going in front of the mirror.

"What happened last night?" she said while touching her forehead.

Then a "memory clip" from last night suddenly flashed into her head causing her blush furiously.

"Oh, yea, we did that," she said while smiling radiantly to her self in front of the mirror.

"Need to prepare breakfast, but it's still early, oh well," she muttered under her breath while going inside the bathroom to do her morning routine. Minutes after she went out wearing a simple pair of jeans and a pink t-shirt with small white bunny designs in it. Contended with her appearance, she went out of her room and went straight downstairs.

"Good morning everyone," she greeted as she walked inside the kitchen, but nothing greeted her back except for the cold morning air.

"Where is everybody? It's already 7:30." Paused. "Maybe they're still sleeping." she said to herself while putting on her apron.

Natsume went back to his room moments before the brunette woke up. He continued sleeping silently inside his room. While Haine, Ryana, Hei, Asae and the others were all scattered inside Ryana's room, asleep. All the girls except for Luna and Sumire showed up, planning on how they are going to help mikan and natsume become a couple.

**Meanwhile..**

She was silently humming her favorite song, while stirring the pot of soup she was cooking. "This will be done in a few minutes," she said while tasting a sample. She continued humming yet it stopped when a pair of warm hands hugged her from her behind. He placed his chin on top of her straight shoulders and whispered "I love you, MY mikan," in her ear, making her smile inwardly. "Good morning" she said.

"You're MY girl now right?" he asked.

"What MY girl are you talking about? You didn't even ask me properly, aho" she shot back.

"Do you want me to?"

"…" he frowned; he then grabbed her shoulders and made her face him. Auburn met Ruby.

He gave her a deep good morning kiss and after breaking it he said "Mikan Sakura will you be my girlfriend?" his heart was pounding, afraid to be rejected. He didn't receive an immediate reply so he misunderstood it. he slowly loosen his grip into her shoulders and stared walking away when mikan called him and said "I haven't give you my answer yet baka, why are you walking away?" she said with a radiant smile plastered in her face. He stopped into his tracks faced her and said nothing. She signaled him to come closer to her which he did. She pulled his shirt's collar, leveling him to her and kissed him passionately after that she broke it and whispered, "I'm so glad that you asked me that, I've been waiting for that question since the first day I met you," shyly, she was blushing furiously as she hugged him and said "I love you natsume!! I'll be glad to be your girl!" she bursts out in tears. She was happy indeed and so was he. What they didn't know was that the girls aware eavesdropping to their conversation a long a time ago.

"Our plans we're futile after all! They're already a couple"

"Eek!" squealed Yuuki, Haine, and Hei while looking at the lovey dovey couple in front of them.

"Aren't they sweet?" whispered nanako and kanako in unison.

"They sure are!" agreed Asae, Ryana and Yui.

"I so envy then," whispered Sumire who suddenly appeared beside them.

"Where you here the whole freakin' time?" asked Asae irritably. She nodded in response.

"I got to call the others, breakfast is ready." She said while breaking another sweet passionate kiss that they were sharing.

"They might even see us," she whispered shyly.

"So what?" he said snobbishly.

"Its embarrassing you know," she said, hands on her waist.

"e-ehem," butted the girls in unison while sitting at the respective chairs around the kitchen top, their chins, resting on the top of their palms while their elbows are on top of the kitchen top.

"Uhm, mi-chan, no need to be shy now," teased Haine.

"We saw everything!" butted Riiko.

"And we're glad that you are a couple now!" said Hei.

"Im so glad that you're happy!" Yuuki said.

"If you're happy and Im happy!" said Kumiko.

"But when did this happen?" asked Seriko who was looking at them in question.

"Uhm, eto-," she was too shy to answer the question so she remained silent.

"Last night." stated natsume stiffly.

"Eh?" they all said, gawking at them.

"Why did you told them?" she whispered irritably to them.

"So that they'll know," he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Its embarrassing." blushing once more.

"Well love birds, enough with the early lover's quarrel and let's eat! We're all starving!" butted Yui who was looking all tired and frustrated.

"Well, before that, let me ask you guys' one question. Why do all of you have panda eyes (eye bags) huh?" she said teasingly.

"What did you do last night that made you stay up all night?"

"for your information Ms. Tease us all you want, we stayed up all night planning things that will make you two a couple, but since you already are one, I guess our plans are all gone to waste," Yui said.

"Oh! Thanks you guys I appreciate your kindness to me!! Im so glad to have you guys as my friends!" she said while trying to hug all of them together.

"Oh, that's nothing mikan-chan!" one of them replied happily.

After the small group hug, they went into the dining room together and started eating. The jolly, lively, and harmonious atmosphere between all of them was now back. After having those days with dull and bored surroundings, it was nice to have this kind of days once in a while. They all ate with joy and warmth,

"Mikan! Your cooking is the best!" complimented Haine who was silently eating her soup.

"Thanks!" she said. Their sitting arrangements also changed. There was no more of that head of the table thingy, instead all of them sit at the side of the table. Natsume was sitting at the very last end of the left side, next to him was his sweet heart Mikan, beside her was Haine, and so on...

They all finished after a couple of minutes, full of what they just ate, they all went to the living room to wait for some announcements because earlier today they heard a small announcement about the first eviction night for them.

"Who will leave now?" asked Mikan miserably.

"In this time of the contest." She continues.

"Yea I know Mikan, it will be sad," comforted Yuuki who was sitting next to her.

"I can't believe it." she answered flatly.

"My, my, I can't believe that someone will leave already," butted Luna who was so trying hard to sound like she will be miserable after someone else's departure.

"Don't sound like your gonna be affected Luna, just be yourself, a plastic," scoffed Asae who was grinning in the process.

"What the-,"

"Enough already!" said mikan.

"But mikan-chan, she's been tormenting you a lot than before, aren't you enduring it a little-," she wasn't able to finish her sentence because she realized that if she does, they next thing she will see will be Luna's snickering face, content that she really is making mikan's life miserable.

"Im okay Asae, no need to worry," she said firmly just to prove Luna wrong.

"Are you sure mikan-chan? That you're fine? Asked Luna.

"Of course I am! I don't have anything more to wish for," she said contently while smiling warmly at her.

"Hmp." Silence covered all of them for a second or two, but that was broken off by a few announcements coming from a small radio like appliance in front of them.

"Good morning ladies, and I see, Natsume-sama is also there with you," said a deep manly voice from the gadget.

"How can you say that you see me idiot? You're only a gadget."

"Just asks that-," replied the voice.

"Don't underestimate my inventions baka!" said Hotaru.

"Hotaru? Hotaru is there? I mean there? Right now?" exclaimed the brunette.

"Yea, mikan-sama, hotaru-sama is here, she's sitting next to me."

"Hotaru!" shouted mikan.

"Baka, keep your voice down." Replied the oh-so-ever cold Hotaru.

"I miss you!"

"Yea yea."

"So that means you miss me too?" she said hoping that her answer will be a yes.

"No."

"You're so mean!"

"Well anyway, you are now sitting in front of this gadget that I made because I have an announcement to make." She said stoic as ever. They all became silent once more; the flooding questions about Mikan and Hotaru all disappeared all of a sudden.

"Two days from know, someone will be ask to leave the house, because starting today, people who are watching you will vote who they want to stay, and whoever gets the lowest vote will be ask to leave the mansion." She explained calmly.

"Oh." Was all they said.

"Oi baka!" she said.

"Huh?"

"What happened to you? These past few weeks? Your clip…" silence. "Is sending me some weird readings, is everything okay?" her voice was cold yet carrying a hint of worry.

She touched her clip after hearing the word clip. She smiled particularly to no one, held natsume's hand, and said "of course ru-chan! Everything's fine!" she said convincingly.

"Are you sure? Because if that idiot Natsume hurts you again, he's so gonna be skinned alive!" she threatened, which gave those hair rising shivers to some of the girls.

"Uhm, hehehe, of course not." She said, laughing nervously in the process.

"HN, tell her what happen to us! So that your physco best friend will be wrong for once," he whispered right into her ears but unfortunately Hotaru heard it.

"Stop whispering idiotic things to her Hyuuga!" she said with that the voice coming from the radio suddenly changed.

"Sakura-san?"

"RUKA!" she said excitingly.

"How are you?"

"Im fine ruka! Just fine! How are you? You and hotaru I mean?"

"She may sound cold but the truth is she's been worried the whole time, since you went inside there," he said. That statement made mikan heart jump for excitement. "Really?" she questioned in disbelieve. She didn't received any answer but all she heard was ruka saying "ouch!" and Hotaru saying "spill more beans to her and you'll feel the wrath of my Baka Gun 3.0 ruka-kun," mikan and the others just sweat dropped.

"She really is unique,"

After that there wasn't any noise coming from the radio.

"I guess Hotaru cut the line off," she said.

**-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-''-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-**

**2 days after that.** They all woke up as early as possible. Tonight will be the first elimination round. And all of them are nervous to find out who is leaving them.

"Mikan!" shouted Kanako while waving her hand in front of mikan's blankly looking face.

"Ha-huh?" snapping back from her thoughts.

"Are you listening to me?" she said

"Ha?"

"Tonight." She paused "someone will leave us." She said melancholically.

"Yeah, I know. It's sad though," she didn't continue her statement.

"Yea. Sad"

"…"

They were scattered outside, near the cherry blossoms. Natsume and Mikan were sitting near their tree of course; while the others were just walking and talking to each other. Some were sitting Japanese style, (like the sitting position when drinking tea) while the others were sitting next to each other, teasing and eating at the same time.

The scenery was great, small pink falling petals, small cloths that covers those swaying green grass and bento boxes.

"Mikan! The lunch that you made for everybody sure is delicious!" said nanako.

"Thanks!" while looking at nanako.

"I'll sure miss you guys!" continued mikan, she was looking down, and her sparkling brunette orbs were covered by her silky bangs. Natsume held her right hand, comforting her. He knew that she was sad. She was acting like this ever since the announcement two days ago and he was deeply worried.

"Hon, don't make them leave you remembering your crying face like that," he whispered.

She looked up. She was crying. She tried smiling genuinely as she can but she just can't.

"I cant Nat, I just can't," she said. Tears continued flowing, and all they can do was to stare at her in disbelief.

"Mikan," called Ryana. For once she looked at them.

"Ha?" she said, trying to seize herself from crying.

"If any of us were to be eliminated, do you really want us to remember that CRYING face of yours?" she asked. She held no emotions on her face. She tried showing mikan that tears will not solve anything, and so were the others.

"n-no-," she said between her breaths.

"Stop crying then. I don't want anyone to be sad because you're sad," she said firmly.

"----." she didn't reply, instead she wiped her threatening tears swiftly.

"Yes, ryana, yes," she said after calming down.

They continue eating under those big shady cherry blossoms tree. Happily sharing each other's story and experiences.

After eating they stayed there up to noon. Afternoon then came, they entered the mansion to prepare themselves up for the elimination later.

"mikan-chan!" called the girls in unison

"Hai?"

"Can you do our hair and make-up?" they said. Mikan chuckled. She didn't expect that coming for her girl friends. She smiled genuinely and said "of course,"

They then went to Ryana's room. There, one by one, mikan did their hairstyles and make-up. She finished all of them after three hours. One by one as the girls exited Ryana's room looked stunning and beautiful in every unique way. Their clothing, their make-up, and different hairstyles suited them.

"Thanks mikan-chan!" they said one by one.

"You're welcome," she said happily while looking at them. Her butterscotch colored eyes, sparkling.

"You look nice yourself mikan," complimented them. From the looks of it, she really looks nice. She was wearing a baby pink bubble tube dress, her hair was neatly arranged into a pony tail, but the ends of it were curled. Strands of her hair were made into bangs, covering her forehead sideways. Her foot ware was a size seven gold flats with little beads in it. Her earrings are a small round cut diamond. In addition, as for her make-up, she didn't wear any, except for lip gloss.

**-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-''-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'**

"You looked stunning," whispered natsume to his sweetheart mikan. The compliment itself made her blush and at the same time smile.

"Thanks Nat," she whispered. They were holding each other's hand but mikan's grip became tighter after she heard and saw hotaru's presence in front of them. They all sat there in front of the large flat screen TV, holding each other's hand.

"Mikan, are you alright?" Yuuki asked.

"Yes. Fine. Very fine." She stated.

"Okay, now that we have the final results of the voting, let me officially announce that voting is officially closed," announced the raven haired girl who was standing next to someone.

"Ruka!" shouted the brunette all of a sudden. The lad with silky blond hair then turned and said hi.

"Enough of the chit chat, do you guys want to know who will leave the house this very moment?" said hotaru.

Some of them nodded while some of them shook their head.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you the results of your voting. As we all know, this voting started 2 days ago and had been closed moments ago, and now, to proclaim the very first person to leave the mansion, let me tell you the results." The ice queen said. Drum rolls were heard and the audience along with the participants of the said contest went silent.

"Lu-luna koizumi!! Sorry to say, but you're leaving the mansion. Please pack up and go outside." Said the oh-so ever cold hotaru. They went silent for a while. After absorbing the fact that Luna koizumi will certainly leave the house, they stood up and hugged her. Mikan was crying, and so was sumire. Even though mikan was harassed and bullied by Luna, she treated her as her own friend.

"Luna! What will happen now?" whispered sumire while hugging the stoic Luna.

"Do what you want." She said irritably. She was shock that she was eliminated, but became more upset that no one will torment mikan now. Without any more ado, she went outside and closed the door behind her. After that farewell segment, they all went back to the living room and watched as Luna went in there. Upon seeing the flat big screen of the TV, they saw the final tally, revealing Luna with 15 and mikan with 85.

"Mikan! You surely will win this contest! I swear to god! Just look at the results!" said the energetic Asae. She sure was glad that that Luna was out, and that no one will torment mikan anymore.

"Shhh, that's what you call beginner's luck, that will fade away," she said while looking at natsume.

"Good to hear that that bitch is out of here," he said.

"Natsume!" scolded his sweet heart. "What? Im only stating the truth!" he said. Yes. It was true that Luna is not there anymore, but will that last up to the very last day of the contest?

Hotaru then announced "Luna just arrived, let's welcome her warmly and let us know how it feels to live inside the mansion," while zooming the camera near the upcoming vehicle.

Moments after, a girl wearing a periwinkle colored dress got out form the car. She then walked towards hotaru and ruka and said.

"Hi!" there she was again. Standing In front of many people, wearing her fake mask. A mask with her "good" personalities in it.

"So, Luna koizumi, what does it feel, to live inside the mansion?" hotaru asked.

"It was fun and challenging and before any of this, I just wanna say hi to mikan! She's a nice girl and she definitely proved me wrong about my judgment at her." she explained while smiling ath the audience,

"Aren't you even upset that you were the first time to be eliminated?" she asked bluntly. Her face twitched for a second and went back to normal. She smiled and replied "of course not! It suits me right," humbly.

**Back to the mansion…**

"What the hell?!" said Asae in outrage

"She's such a plastic!"

"Let her be,"

"But--,"

"Just let her be!" scolded mikan.

Even though she was tormented by Luna during her stay inside the mansion, never did she hold a grudge against her. She always thought that Luna was just lacking of love and attention, so she did tried her best to give it to her but it seems so clear that she refuses to accept so, so she just tried to befriended her but her thought all went up side down.

Asae, being scolded like that became all grumpy all of a sudden and walked out, she turned off the TV, making the people watching said "Aww," she never felt this humiliated before, she was just trying to be protective and all to mikan, but she did over do it.

"Stupid luna," she mumbled while stumping her way back to her room.

"Asae, wait up!" shouted some of them while running after the retreating figure. Leaving mikan and natsume alone in the living room.

"Mikan?"

**End of chapter 14**

**In addition, thank you so much for reviewing my chapter thirteen! I appreciate it!!**

-awy35-

Broken Piesces

xXMitsumeXx

oO0OoyummyflakesoO0Oo

lucia096

sakurahua2x

konnie

alrisce

Dominiqueanne

natsume-meg93

helltishL0Ve

aNiMe pRiNcEsS24

Petalsarefallingxoxo

chinesecutie07

funny sakura

lakx

Love Hell Rocket

natsellefanselle

Natsume0Mikan

miyuki24

mikaro

Cutenatsumexmikan

Kimiko-Sakura

Miu The Princess Of Nature

flor-desu

sakurapetal246


	16. parlor disaster

**Disclaimer: **I don't own GA but I wish I do…

**Ruin princess:** minna-san, sorry for the late update. I was sick this whole week that's why I wasn't able to post this on time. Now that Luna's gone, what will happen next? Happily ever after? I don't think so… 

Just read and you'll find out... 

**REVIEW PLEASE!**

beta-reader: k0nek0

* * *

**Previously:**

"Mikan?"

"Stupid luna," she mumbled while stumping her way back to her room.

"Asae, wait up!" shouted some of them while running after the retreating figure. Leaving Mikan and Natsume alone in the living room.

"Mikan?"

**End of chapter 14 **

**Chapter 15: Parlor disaster**

"**Receiving so many beginnings, and countless number of feelings. Learning each other strengths and weaknesses is a basic rule for one's relationship." **

Fourteen different girls, wearing black and white French maid uniforms and a certain raven haired, ruby eyed lad wearing a commoner's waiter uniform. 

The mansion, only for today, was filled with variety of people. Ranging from middle aged people to teenage girls and boys to see the parlor prepared by Natsume and the others two days after Luna's eviction.

"Hotaru!" called a certain brunette who was merrily serving their guests. Her appearance really was cute, causing boys to drool and fantasize over her. While her possessive and over protective boyfriend who was currently surrounded by teenage girls were reaching his limits.

Her long shoulder length hair were braided, her long slender legs were covered by cream stockings which made it look like she's as white as milk, and her luscious red lips had lip gloss on it, causing it to look more kissable.

"Baka," replied her best friend who apparently came up with this parlor agenda just to go and see her bubbly best friend. 

"Don't you need to go and serve people here? Not slack off and talk to us?" Hotaru proceeded. True. There were plenty of people scattered around the mansion's spacious living room. Tables were set up closely to each other so that they can easily go from one table to another for easy serving.

"But Hotaru-," winced Mikan but she was then cut off when Anna, who was tabled together with Hotaru, Ruka, Nonoko, and her boy friend Yuu said "it's okay Mikan-chan, we'll talk later when the parlor's closed." With an assuring smile plastered on her face.

"We are?" Mikan shot back. Hearing this made her auburn eyes sparkle in excitement. All of them with the exception of Hotaru nodded... the brunette smiled brightly at them, and with that she bid her farewell thrillingly. 

"Cant wait till the parlor's close," she muttered while walking back inside the kitchen to get a plate of strawberry cheesecake ordered by a young looking lad with golden hair and green eyes.

**-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-**

**Moments after…**

She was on her way back to the young lad's table to give his order but when she was about to reach the table she saw her boyfriend lip locking with another girl.

Her face holding this complicated look she continued her way to the lad's table. She stopped the moment she set foot in front of the lad's table. She looked down to her black flats and gave the lad his plate of cheesecake. He looked up to thank the brunette who he thought was smiling charmingly a while ago but was astonished to see her tears flowing uncontrollably from her glittering orbs.

"My lady?" called the lad but she didn't reply nor look at him. Instead she was gazing to her boyfriend's direction.

"My lady?" repeated the lad. His voice a little louder. Her look was still glued on Natsume's direction. When she had enough of it, she fled. The lad, surprised, stood up and run after the crying brunette.

**-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-**

The dancing and swaying of the trees and the harmoniously singing of the birds nestling into the trees welcomed the miserable brunette as she laid her back against the near by tree trunk.

Her knees covering her tear streaked face she continued sobbing.

"Miss?" called the lad who was catching his breath up. He knelt in front of the brunette and slowly gave his white, well ironed handkerchief to the girl. She looked up. Her tear streaked face now held a pitiable look. 

"Are you alright?" asked Ayaori. The lad who helped her.

"Yes, thank you, uhm, what is your name anyway?" 

"Ayaori Kano," he said with a gentle smile.

"Thanks Ayaori-san," she said while wiping off her tears. "No need to be formal my lady, Aya-kun will be fine," he said while observing the girl sitting in front of him.

"Okay then, Aya-kun." She said, for a minute or two silence covered the two of them, until Ayaori decided to ask her the reason for her tears.

"Why were you crying anyway?" he asked. She remained silent, as if she didn't hear the question but she managed to let out a weak smile.

"Oh Im sorry, it must be pretty personal. Sorry for being rude Mikan-chan," he apologized. She looked up and smiled "Mikan-chan? How did you know my name?" she wondered.

"I heard your friends called you that." He stated evidently. "Oh" was the only thing she was able to reply. Natsume saw them by the window from inside and misunderstood things. He dashed his way out and charged himself into the defenseless lad who as soon as seeing the running lad, stood up.

He punched Ayaori as hard as he can, causing Ayaori's mouth to produce that red, metal scented liquid called blood.

"Aya-kun!" shouted Mikan as she run up to him. Natsume who was about to give the defenseless lad his second blow was stopped by Mikan. "Natsume!" she shouted as loud as she can to get the raven lad's attention. He didn't stop; he walked towards Ayaori and Mikan's direction and stopped in front of them.

"Bastard!" he called Ayaori. 

"Are you alright Aya-kun?" Mikan asked while trying to help Ayaori get up. He didn't fight Natsume back because he knows that Mikan will be hurt once more and thus will shed tears once again.

"Im fine Mikan-chan, I think he just misunderstood things that why he punched me. You should just go and explain things to him, I'll be fine." He noted while smiling reassuringly at the worried sick brunette.

"Im sorry Aya-kun," she said while helping the injured lad stand up.

"You bastard, we're not done yet! Mikan! Get way from him!" he demanded. 

"No! You're the one who should get away from us Natsume, you hurt him! He was just trying to help me," she cried.

"Its okay Mikan-chan," Ayaori interrupted.

"It's not okay Aya-kun," she said.

"Mikan!" shouted the raven haired lad.

Mikan not wanting to be embarrass no more slapped Natsume right across his face, causing the lad to be shock and dumbfounded. His eyes went wide for a second or two but came back to its cold and emotionless state moments after. He touched his swollen right cheek as he eyed the retreating pair.

"Mi-," Natsume called but Mikan cut her off by saying "I think we need to have some time for ourselves," as steady as possible. Leaving the frustrated Natsume alone in the garden. Taken aback on what he had heard from Mikan.

**-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-**

"Im sorry Aya-kun," she said while nursing his wounds. She was humiliated on how Natsume acted a while ago.

"He usually isn't like that anyway. Aya-kun, I hope you forgive him," 

"It's okay Mikan-chan. Just fine. And If I am in his shoes anyway, I'll do the same thing because that's the first thing that will probably come into my mind if I see my girl with another man," he smiled.

"Aya-kun," she called. "Stop defending that idiot!" she scolded, "he hurt you remember?" she continued.

"But Mikan-chan,"

"It's fine,"

"But didn't you go too far? I mean saying those things to him just because he punched me." He said. He never felt this guilty before. He thought that he is the reason why Mikan decided to cool-off her relationship with Natsume from the time being.

"Im fine, just fine," she stated. Again, she focused her attention only to Aya-kun's wounds. She didn't want to see Aya-kun's innocent looking green eyes. 

He cupped her chin and, made her face him, as he thought, she was crying.

"I didn't mean to say those things; it's just that I want him to learn his lessons. He's being childish again." She defended.

"Mikan, he's only being possessive because he cares for you. Boys like the two of us who really cares for our girlfriend sometimes becomes like that. It's just that we cannot afford to lose you girls or to let you get hurt when we keep our guard down. I know how it feels to hear those words from your special someone. I've been there Mikan trust me. It hurts." he stated as he stood up and said his thanks properly, with that he walked away.

"Aya-kun!" she called. He turned to look back, smiled, and asked "why?"

"Thanks!" she said while waving her farewell to the handsome young lad.

**-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-**

"Where did you go Mikan? We were looking for you." Worried Haine and Hei who bumped into her on their way back to the living room.

"Oh, I went there," she said while pointing a number of trees outside the window.

"Garden?" she nodded.

"Well anyway Mikan gotta go!" they said.

"Oh! And about Asae, don't worry about her, she's just frustrated, that's all," they said with a smile as they vanished.

"Oh, okay thanks!" she bid.

"Where is she anyway?" she asked herself. "Maybe she's in her room, resting." she concluded.

Therefore, Mikan went to Asae's room to go and check on her, but she was shocked when she saw her lying almost lifelessly on the scarlet carpeted floor.

"Asae!" she called nervously. No one answered. She eyed her breathing and it seems like as each minute passed, her breath began to go slower and slower, fainter to fainter.

"Asae! Are you all right? Asae?" she called panicky. She touched her wrist to feel her pulse and sadly her pulse was weak.

She knelt in front of her to assists her to stand up. She regain a bit of her consciousness which made Mikan sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness," she said as she thoroughly assisted her to go and sit to her bed.

"What happened?" 

"I suddenly had this difficulty in breathing. My chest became stiff that I needed to breath deeply in order to catch my breath and the last thing I knew was that I collapsed when I was about to go back downstairs," 

"Are you all right now?" she nodded.

"Asae, Im sorry." She said as she reaches out a glass of water.

"It's all right Mikan, it's my fault anyway," she said while making herself comfortable under her warm blanket.

"Im really sorry. It's just that I always had this pitiful feeling for Luna. I just don't know why though," she said.

"It's all right,"

She accompanied Asae for the next two hours. Talking and laughing and at the same time teasing each other. Time passed them by very fast.

"I gotta go know Asae, are you sure you'll be fine here?" she reassured.

"Of course I am," she said.

"Su-,"

"Im sure Mikan just go back downstairs and talk to your friends while they're still here," she said while giving her a contented smile.

"Okay then. But if you need me just call me okay?" she said as she turned the silver knob to the right and exited the room. She closed the door behind her and walked away.

"Mikan," Asae called particularly to no one while smiling inwardly to herself.

**-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-**

"Mikan, can you help me close the parlor? It's almost time. And the number of customers are starting to go down," said Yuuki who was tying her hair into a messy bun.

"Okay then. Just call me up when we are going to okay? I just need to look for Nat," she said while looking from left to right, right to left.

"I think I saw him there a while ago," she said while pointing at a number of trees.

"Oh, thanks!" she said as she run outside.

The cold night air welcomed her. Her fair colored cheeks turned red as soon as the blowing night air prickled her cheeks. She walked against the blowing wind while calling for Natsume. Calling him several times and have not receive any answer, she decided to give up and to talk to him tomorrow. She sat at their sakura tree, and leaned her back against the cold and rough surface of the tree.

"Natsume?" she called, wishing that at least, just at least Natsume will answer her hundredth call.

"Polka." He replied as he jumped off from the tree's steady branch.

"Natsume!" she said in a surprise as she stood up and ran to him, throwing herself into her boyfriend's arms. 

"I've been looking anywhere. Where have you been?" she asked worryingly.

He didn't answer her. Instead he hugged her tightly as if telling her not to leave his side forever.

"Nat?" she called.

"HN?"

"Im sorry," she said while tightening the hug if that's possible.

"HN," he said again. He wasn't really in the mood for saying these mushy girlfriend-boyfriend things. He just wants to hold her in his arms. He was slowly drowning from her girly scent.

"Nat?" she called once more, gentler this time.

"What!" irritatingly he shot back.

"Why did you do that? I mean punching Ayaori like that, he was only helping me," she said. 

"Why are you protecting that bastard huh?" he wasn't able to calm down. Hearing that boy's name made his temperature rose.

"Are you jealous?" she asked while pinching Natsume's cheeks.

"No Im not!" he said firmly while trying to escape his girlfriend's pinch.

"Then why are you being hard on him? He was helping me Natsume! Stop acting like a child then!" she scolded.

"Tell me then, why are you with him at the first place? Cant you even think of what people may feel after seeing the two of you like that? I mean didn't you even consider my feelings getting hurt?" he asked.

"Answer that first Nat! He was just comforting me because he saw me crying. And why? Because I saw you with a girl and you two were lip locking!" her voice rose for a couple of times. 

He remained quiet. Then he said "maybe we really do need to think first don't we?" he said irritably as he walked out.

"Damn!" she cursed herself.

"Why is this happening? And I even came here to say my sorry, not to make things worse!" she said as after pinching her cheeks.

"Baka Mikan, baka." She said as she walked out too.

She returned inside. She didn't even notice Yuuki's calling. She walked straight to her room while having this blank look on her smiling face a while ago. Hotaru and the company was still there and they saw Mikan acting strange so they decided to follow her upstairs. They saw Mikan entering her room and as soon as her figure disappeared, they, one by one walked, nearing to her door and eavesdropped. 

They didn't hear anything expect for a music box playing (given by Natsume), but as they listened carefully, they also heard a hard breathing as if catching for air. Anna and Nonoko and as well as Ruka panicked. Hotaru remained calmed as if she didn't care a thing while Yuu, who doesn't have any idea what was happening remained composed.

"Hotaru--," called Anna who was at this time panicking.

"I know," stated Hotaru while looking at a small device which reads the brunette's feelings.

"What should we do?" they asked the raven haired girl lowly.

"I don't know," she said. The statement itself made the four other people shock. They always thought that Hotaru will have answer for everything that they ask or need.

"But-,"

"Let's just knock," the ice queen said as she stood up from her kneeling position and knock.

Hearing the knock, the brunette quickly wiped her tears and went straight into the bathroom to freshen herself up. The knocking continued.

"Wait!" Mikan said while wiping her wet face.

She opened the door revealing Hotaru, Anna, Nonoko, Ruka, and Yuu. 

"Guys!" she said happily.

"What happened to you Mikan? You look sad." Stated Anna.

"Sad? Na-uh!" she quickly shot back.

"Oh really?" said Hotaru as she goes inside her room. She nodded as she welcome the other inside of her room. She nodded as fast as she can after hearing the suspicious voice of Hotaru. 

"Who gave you this one Mikan?" asked Anna and Nonoko while pointing at the playing music box. 

"Nat." she stated plainly.

"Really? It's so cute!" they said while sitting in front of the music box, staring at its plain beauty.

**-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-**

**Flashback:**

**After Luna's eviction, Mikan who was upset and at the same time melancholic in feeling due to her argument with Asae a while ago was alone with Natsume. She frowned. While Natsume just looked at her, studying her rare facial expression. He pinched her cheeks, causing her coffee hue orbs to water while trying her best to escape Natsume's pinching fingers.**

"**Stop it!" she cried while slapping his arm.**

"**HN." **

"**N-na-natsu-Natsume!" she said after being freed from his pinch.**

"**Stop looking like an old hag. Things will be fine. Let's go." He stated calmly as he stood up.**

"**You meanie!" she said while giving off her hundred watt smile. She reached out her hand to help her stand up, Natsume helped her and said "look at you, you're standing to act like an old hag too, unable to stand up on their own," he said sarcastically.**

"**Natsume!" she said as she attacked him from behind. She jumped off, giving her full weight on the back of the standing lad.**

"**You're heavy! You really should stop eating like a pig Mikan" he whispered. She blushed then said "sorry mister, if I do eat like a pig, at least Im not like someone else who have these crazy and weird food cravings," she teased back. He smiled inwardly.**

**He hoisted her up to his room that the two of them only knew where. He gently lain her on the soft marine blue covered bed and said "Im just going to take a quick shower," leaving the girl wondering and confused.**

"**Oi!" she called but he didn't bother looking back.**

**She sat their comfortably on his bed, she reached out for the remote control to open the TV at once but before opening the TV, she saw this beautiful white colored music box on top of the TV, closed. **

**She stood up and tiptoed her way in front of the TV, she opened the music box and was awed by its simple yet unique design. Upon opening it, a small figurine of a girl and a boy dancing started revolving round and round. The music being emitted by the box was nice too. She stared at it still amazed on its beauty when Natsume went out from the bathroom half naked. He stared at her immediately waiting for her reaction but nothing came; he then noticed that his girl was looking at chikako's music box.**

"**You wouldn't mind if I give it to her will you?" he asked particularly to no one in a low voice.**

"**You can have it if you want, a friend of mine left it in here, and told me that I can have It.," he stated while ruffling his flat, wet hair.**

"**Really?' she said her eyes shone with brightness as fast as a flick. She didn't even notice Natsume's "hot body." He nodded but was disappointed that Mikan wasn't even drooling for his oh so perfect body.**

"**You might catch a cold Nat, go, and wear something, rather than drying you hair." she said innocently.**

"**Dense as usual." He whispered to himself, still agitated.**

"**Nat?" she called innocently while approaching the upset lad.**

"**What!" he replied.**

"**Thanks!" with that she smiled and hugs him. He then felt this sudden urge to ask for more. His body begun to heat up again, and once again, his ranging pheromones were on the lose again. Unable to stop himself, he cupped her chin and kissed her hard. She shortly lets out a moan for every gap they make. She enjoys it but after those hard and possessive kisses, her lips were red and have bruises in it. She touched her lower lip, to check if it was bleeding.**

"**You bit my lip!" she said.**

"**HN."**

**She glared at him. Badly. She didn't remove her stare from him for the last three minutes then she continue complaining on how harsh or hard his kiss was. Still not stopping from her childish complaints, he evaded her lips once more. Now his kiss was more gentle and sweet. They turn their heads, once in while to get a better angle and after some switches, they found the right angle. He licked her lower lip, begging for entrance. At first she hesitated because once she allows him to, they will have another tongue wrestling but moments after, she let him in, and he explored her sweet, chocolate flavored mouth. She was blushing real hard that she herself wasn't able to go with the flow with him. He became so aggressive that it looks like he is a different person. Running out of air, she broke the deep French kiss.**

"**Nat?" she called. He looked up and stared at her coffee eyes.**

"**I want more," he said while wiping his lower lip. She blushed. And firmly said "no." but she was too late…..**

**End of flashback**

**-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-**

They were all blushing, especially Anna and Nonoko as Mikan narrated what had happen that night after Luna's eviction.

"Nothing happened between the two of us, just kisses," she said while staring at anna, nonoko, ruka, and Yuu's ohhh-they-did-"it" look.

They continue looking at the playing music box when Anna picked it up to see the label of it from its base. Her eyes went wide, carrying this shocked, oh-my-god- look as she handed down the music box. 

They examined it with seriousness plastered into their faces. Then Mikan saw this small carved golden letters,

"Chikako Misawa,"

**End of chapter 15**

**-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-**

**A/n:**

**Sorry long chap.**

**Forgive me.**

**For reading this long chappie Okie.**

**Thanks for reading and for those who reviewed my last chappie..**

**Thanks a bunch!  
New reviewers and readers, thanks too!**

**FLAMES you're not welcome in here.**

**Only friendly reviews, criticism, comments and suggestions..**

**Next chapter:**

**Chapter 16: my missing person**


	17. my missing person

**Disclaimer: **if I own Gakuen Alice, Luna will be dead by now…

**Ruin princess: **Sorry, for the long wait! Now that they cooled-off, what will happen next? Who's the girl he was kissing and why did he did that? This chap will answer that! 

**Review please! It's my inspiration! **

**Previously:**

They examined it with seriousness plastered into tHeir faces. Then Mikan saw this small carved golden letters,

"Chikako Misawa,"

**End of chapter 15 **

**Chapter 16: My missing person**

"**Can a heart broken by love be healed by love?"**

"What do you want to talk about?" she firmly said as she tried to escape his tightening grip. The couple that cooled-off since last week was having an intense moment inside the brunette's room. She was caged inside his well-build arms, her back was against the cold, wall papered wall, her wrist, tightly gripped by the lad in front of her.

"We need to talk," he said bluntly.

"There's nothing we need to talk about Natsume, it seems that fate was against our relationship after all," she stated. After experiencing certain hardships, it seems to her that fate was doing its best to break the two of them. "I think it (fate) only wants onee-san and you to be together," she thought sadly.

"but-," he wanted to tell her that he loves her but his pride got in the way. He loosened his gripped and walked way while saying, "Are you really going to give up on this relationship because of that stupid fate? I guess you're not that type of girl who will fight for love huh?" his face was holding a serious and disappointed look as he walked away. While Mikan who was utterly shocked on what she heard quickly defended, "You don't know how much you had hurt me, Natsume," her eyes, were blank, and tears were already threatening to fall. She managed to hold it up, but as soon as she heard, a soft _'click'_, her tears welled up then burst. 

"Im sorry, Im sorry," she repeatedly said as she looked up on the raining sky. The clouds were dark. The sun that was shining a while ago was no where to be seen, and Mikan who was still crying was running for her breath.

"Will this be the end?" was her last question to herself as she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

Natsume who was upset and at the same time agitated in feeling walked straight into the sakura tree. He looked up on the sky. Dark clouds, no sun. "It's going to rain," he muttered.

Moments after, he climbed on the branch of the tree and leaned his back. 

He let out a sigh of exasperation, and then the cold rain poured. 

The leaves sprouting out from different angles and sides of the branch was protecting some parts of his body from getting wet by the pouring rain but as soon as the rain poured harder, he got wet eventually. 

He was whispering things, cursing under his breath and at the same time wondering why he really kissed that random girl from the parlor.

"Kuso! If I wasn't intimidated by that girl, I shouldn't have done such things to Mikan," he cursed. He was mentally scolding and at the same time slapping himself. "I shouldn't have hurt Mikan," his eyes which were burning with anger were now having this different façade. His ruby orbs were filled with guilt as he looked down on his arm. He touched his left ear, then the ornament that was attached into it. - A small gold earring with a ruby stone- 

"Mikan," he called her name again for the umpteenth time. 

"Are we really going to break-up? Stupid pride!"

* * *

**Flashback:**

Natsume who was serving his 350th customer was having a hard time, he was getting tired of the same, repeatedly act. 

"Is that Natsume hyuuga?" 

"I love you Natsume hyuuga!" 

"Marry me Natsume hyuuga!" 

"Tch. Fan girls!" he said under his breath.

However, there was a certain girl whom he gave a different expression…

A girl who was 18 years old in age with long dark black hair was sitting in front of Natsume. She was smiling at him but he gave her a snob look. She was wearing a tight pink tee paired with a dark colored pair of skinny jeans. Her footwear was a simple and plain white rubber shoes. She smiled again; hoping that the "cold" atmosphere that Natsume was giving her would warm up. 

Then a notion struck her. 

Since she knew Chikako from childhood, and since she knew that she and Mikan are related in a way, she decided to use that as a bait to make Natsume hers. 

She smirked evilly as she made herself comfortable of her sitting position. 

She stood up, walked to Natsume's direction who was seated and whispered "I know something that even you, Natsume hyuuga don't know," he was wondering what she meant so he looked at her with those pair of bored looking eyes, and gave her a "what-do-you-mean-look?" 

She smiled knowing what his eyes were talking about. 

She smiled more as she noticed a certain brunette girl standing close to them, serving a young man-Ayaori-. 

He looked at her again, now with irritability and impatience then he spoke "what the hell are you talking about?" he was agitated, he doesn't want to wait no more.

"Mikan." she stated plainly.

"Mikan?" he thought "what about her?" he said. His voice was carrying a pinch of tetchiness.

"Chikako, you know her right?" she asked. 

She was eyeing the brunette close to them by the corners of her eye. She looked at him for the fourth time, raised a brow at him, and smirked.

"Are you dumb or playing dumb? She's my ex-fiancée," he said. 

She was getting into his nerves as minutes passed but for the sake of finding out what this girl was, talking about he stayed into his seat. 

Agitated, he was about to stand up and help his girlfriend who was serving from table to table when the girl, Asuka pulled his tie and kissed him. Her long dark hair covered their kiss, but what was happening gave the costumers a shock, some of their mouths are shaped into perfect "O's" while some of them, who were really devoted NatsumeXmikan fans were like "what the hell is happening? Why is hyuuga-san cheating on Mikan-san?"

They were furious. 

The growing commotion was starting to get some attention, but the least person that they all expected to go and bother herself to look on what was happening was now with the crowd, shock on what she was seeing. 

At first, she held this stoic facial expression but as soon as she walked out to continue serving the guest, she burst into tears. While Natsume who was currently being kissed by a girl was struck. 

He was furious inside; he immediately broke the kiss after seeing Mikan's blank look. 

He was about to walk away when Asuka pulled his well-built arm and whispered, 

"Your dead fiancée and that crying girl (Mikan) are sisters. Half-sisters, in fact" wickedly and with that she grinned, turned her back, and walked away, leaving the shock looking guest, and the struck Natsume Hyuuga. He, who know that explaining things to her at such an intense moment won't do anything so he decided to go and continue his work, but what bothered him wasn't the kiss or working again, but what had the girl said, 

"Mikan? Chikako? Related" 

"If that's true, why didn't she tell me?" he wondered.

**End of flashback **

**The next morning…**

As they one by one get on the coaster, Mikan who, at this moment have a pair of red and puffy brunette orbs was sitting next to her least favorite person, Natsume. 

She let out a sigh of defeat. 

Since their fight, she didn't let her friends know her problem, their problem, for her it would be nice if at least once she can handle her own problems and challenges.

"Mikan, are you alright? You look tired," a concerned Yuuki, said who was sitting with Asae by the moment.

"Are you alright Mikan?" Asae repeated since they Mikan didn't say a word. She stayed quiet, for the first time after meeting each other, Mikan didn't care.

Shocked, they went back to their chairs.

Moments after the coaster started moving.

Their next destination now is Hyuuga Corporation's private resort. 

The trip was quiet for both Mikan and Natsume. 

The girls sitting behind them were having a fun time. 

They are laughing, chit-chatting and playing pranks at each other but Mikan and Natsume's atmosphere, it was rather cold then warm.

"I should give this back to his later, when we get there," she said as she looked up to his handsome sleeping face.

"Things last night was intense and I wasn't able to get a hold of it," she continued.

The music box was resting on her lap, but decided to keep it on her bag.

She opened her bag and laid the small figurine box there. What she didn't notice was that her small pink pouch which contains "their" picture and other memorabilia from childhood fell. 

She made herself comfortable during the trip. Her elbow was leaning on top of a small space in front of the window, her chin, placed in her palm. 

She was deep in thought as she looked outside. It was raining. The rain was pouring endlessly since the day they fought, and it was giving her a gloomy feeling. 

The streets were damp; they are certain parts of the streets where in small paddles of water were stuck. She sighed again, for the umpteenth time. She never felt this down before since she and hotaru fought when they were kids. 

She stared again to the sleeping lad beside her, but what she didn't know was that the raven haired boy was pretending to be asleep.

The loud roaring of the thunders was overthrowing the girls' voices, laughs, and whines but the brunette girl was scared. Ever since she was a kid, she's always been scared of thunder which made her terrified in this type of days.

"Are you alright?" asked a very familiar voice to her. She looked at the sleeping boy, then to the window and said "Im fine." Stiffly.

She smiled. An inward smile, then she said, "look Nat-" but she wasn't able to finish her sentence because Natsume said what she was about to say "Im sorry Mikan,"

His worries were gone his heavy feeling too. He was happy that he was able to say it. he was thinking on saying that a couple of times to her since they fought but his pride was always in the way so he decided to do it in a time that the atmosphere wasn't intense nor heavy at all.

"Ha-ha" he heard her chuckle. He was puzzled by her actions so he opened one of his ruby orbs and stare. 

"What are you chuckling about?" he asked irritably. 

He felt annoyed. 

He thought that Mikan was laughing at him because he was looking rather funny or the way he acted a while ago was funny. 

Hearing Mikan's laugh by the girls made them stop what they were doing. 

They stared at the couple and said in a whisper "What the hell is with them?" 

Mikan, who was smiling warmly at Natsume didn't care if the girls will eavesdropped on them or teased them for she knows that she and Natsume will be back together again.

"Im sorry, Im sorry Nat, it's just that Im about to say the same thing. Im sorry," she kissed his cheeks then both of them blushed then looked away. 

While the girls who were eavesdropping to them was like "ih… Mikan and Natsume! Mikan and Natsume!" they were teasing the newly made up couple repeatedly, making them blush harder.

"Stop it you guys," Mikan complained.

"Na-uh! Mikan and Natsume! Mikan and Natsume!" they continued their teasing until they got tired of it. 

"Stupid girls," muttered Natsume under his breath but Mikan heard her and smacked it on the head hard.

"Itai!" he said as he glared deadly on her girlfriend. He was touching the spot that Mikan had smacked.

"Look on what you had done! You gave me this small stupid bump on my head! What will happen now if suddenly by tomorrow if forget that I am one of the most handsome and richest man that lived huh!" he said sarcastically.

"Aho ka!(you idiot!)" she said "you were bad mouthing them!" she continued. 

"Who's bad mouthing who?" the girls forced themselves into the conversation. 

Then Mikan grinned at the lad and said, "He said that you guys are stupid!" in a tone that was so childish that even the girls themselves fell for it.

"Damn you hyuuga!"

"Stop being so full of yourself Hyuuga!"

"I really hate you Hyuuga!"

"Watch your back Natsume! And don't you dare-," Asae wasn't able to finish her statement.

"Okay, okay, tch." He was pissed.

"Hahahaha" Mikan laughed harder. 

"The look on you face, hahahaha, you look like you're about to cry" Mikan teased.

"Shut it!"

"Asae! Natsume is hurting me!" she called.

"Hyuuga!" scolded Asae, who was at this very moment wants to strangle Natsume.

"Tch." He was defeated by Mikan's acting and the girls' action.

"Whatever" 

An hour passed full of happiness, teasing, laughter and a pinch of tears passed.

They arrived at their destination. The rain stopped minutes before they arrived and they were all thankful that that happened.

"Mikan come on!" called Haine and Hei in unison who was waiting outside under the hot blazing sun with Asae, Yuuki, and Sumire.

"Coming!" she called for the third time. She was looking in, and both side of her seat since she realized that her small pink pouch was missing. Natsume realized it and observed her.

"What's so important with that pouch anyway?" he thought.

"Natsume?" called his girlfriend who was about to burst in tears.

"Mikan!" she heard her friends called her for the tenth time, "its hot in here you know!" they continued irritably.

"Okay okay! Gonna be there!"

"Just go, let's go and look for it later," Natsume suggested.

"Fa-fine," she said in defeat.

He got up from his seat and followed her from behind. She was carrying her small violet bag while Natsume was carrying their luggage.

She went out first then Natsume. 

The sun was burning their delicate skin as they walk under it. 

Mikan who was walking with Natsume was wearing a simple pair of black tinted shades, and Natsume as well. While the girls, namely Asae, Yuuki, Haine, Hei and Sumire were wearing hats and shades as well.

They entered the "private resort". It was silent and relaxing. The air was cold, and at the same time, it was clean, not like the city air. 

"Go and choose your rooms," said one of the crew.

"Really?" Mikan said, he eyes glittering in excitement.

"Yes Mikan-sama," he replied. She jumped for joy then whispered, "let's stay close to each other," to Natsume. Hearing this gave Natsume some naughty and horny thought but immediately brushed it off. 

He looked down on the smiling brunette and said "hn,"

"Yey!" she jumped for joy.

"Mikan! Can I room next to you?" asked the girls in unison making Mikan sweat dropped. 

"Uhm, how can you guys room next to me?" she questioned in a nervous tone.

"Why are you going to room next to her?" argued Haine who was upset.

"And why are you going to room next to her then?" shot Hei back.

"Because we're close!" Haine managed to reply confidently.

"We are too!"

"Yeah!"

"Guys! Guys! Settle down!" Mikan said.

"Just play rock, paper, and scissors then! Sheesh!" 

"Ahehehe,"

"The one who wins will room next to mine!" she said then she walked out dragging Natsume with her.

The girls were silent for a while, dumbstruck. 

Then Asae said, "Go on, play your little game, just count me out because Im not interested!"

* * *

**Moments after…**

"I won! I won!" Haine shouted while jumping up and down.

"That's beginner's luck baka!" teased ryana.

"Meanie!"

"Bleh!" while sticking her tongue out.

* * *

**Mikan's room..**

"Oh, Natsume!" she called.

"What little girl?" a tinge of annoyance was visible.

"Stop calling me that!" **T-O-N-K-S** he received another blow from Mikan.

"I want to return this." She said while handling him back the music box. He looked at the thing that she gave back, raised a brow and looked at her with those piercing ruby eyes then said "why?"

"It turns out that that doesn't really belong to you, and it's rude for me to just go and ask your permission if I can have it if at the first place it's not even yours." She said she sighed and continued, "Just keep it. And whoever owns that, she must be a **VERY important person** to you," she smiled. 

A fake one. 

She then turned her heel to go and finish unpacking her stuff.

"Are you sure?" he said as he eyes her awkward movements. 

She was trembling but managed to give off a steady voice and said, "Yes, its fine by me."

"Okay Hon, I'll be going then," with that, he stood up, walked to her direction, knelt, and kissed her forehead. He was about to stand when Mikan pulled him, level him to her and hugged him. 

"You love me right? You love me because me is me right? You-," for a second she became paranoid and scared that Natsume will dump her. 

She loves him so much that she cant afford to lose him, not anymore, not to anyone, not even to her half-sister's memories.

"I love you for who you are, stop acting like Im just going to leave you in a snap," he said calmly while rubbing her back, trying to calm her down. Trying to stop her from trembling with fear.

"Please….." she took a deep breath "don't.. Leave.. Me..." with that she collapsed.

"Mikan! Mikan!" he called frantically.

"Hey!" he called while slapping her pale looking cheeks lightly.

He shoved her back and carried her bridal style. Then he walked/ran going to her bed then laid her pale looking body on it.

"Mikan?" he called. 

Her long, slender fingertips moved then she lazily opened her eyes and said "Im..Fine.. Just…" she was running for her breath. 

Natsume put his hand over her eyes to cover them and said "tired." 

He finished the sentence for her then he whispered, "Your tired form the trip, and it's too hot for you," 

He stood up but as soon as Mikan felt it she immediately grabbed his shirt and said "Nat, don't-"

"Im not leaving you, not in this state. Im going to the bathroom to go and fetch a small bucket and a cloth. For your eye compress, Im sure that both of your eyes are strained" she let go as soon as he finished his explanation.

* * *

**After sometime…**

He left the brunette sleeping. Her breathing was fine not like before which was rigid and fast.

"Thank goodness she's safe," he whispered.

"Now, what should I do with this?" he said while tilting the music box he was holding for sometime now.

He thought of an idea. He went outside. Then he walked around, still carrying the music box, he went off to get some thick woods. 

After that he went inside to get some matches, he went back outside then started a fire.

The fire was surrounding something. Something that is playing. It was the music box.

He watched the scene as the fires surrounding the music box eats it.

The ballerina that was dancing round and round was slowly melting and the small glass pasted on the cover was shattered into small pieces.

"We're over now. I have Mikan now, and with her, Im going to start a new life. With her Im going to build new memories and with her, I'll be happy once more," 

He stood up and walked away, leaving the music box on the bare ground, slowly being eaten by flames.

"Goodbye, Chikako misawa," was the last thing he said before entering the mansion.

**End of chapter 16 **

**A/n: this is a boring chapter because it's only the first part on what really is going to happen to the gang while they are on Natsume's resort. REVIEW PLEASE! **

* * *

beta-reader: k0nek0

* * *

**Preview:**

**Chapter 17: My fair lady**

**He went back to the coaster alone to look for Mikan's pouch. He then saw it under his seat, half open. Curious, he opened the pouch revealing a small picture of two girls that look alike, yet one of them is in pigtails, a small wallet and a dying, brown petal-ed pink hydrangeas.**

"**Is this?..." he thought. **

**He returned the pouch's contents inside, closed it, and got off the coaster, yet his mind is pre-occupied by one thing "what's the meaning of all of this?" **

**Just wanna thank this people who read the last chapter! I owe them a lot! c:**

dark fire89

aNiMe pRiNcEsS24

minahoru

shadowgal17

helltishL0Ve

Miu The Princess Of Nature

kisami93

kyatoraina-chan

Dominiqueanne

-happy-neko-

sayuri13

Love Hell Rocket

charmix08

Irumi Kanzaki

funny sakura

akerue

CuteNatsumexMikan-ur wish had been granted! C:

Amu-chi

Kimiko-Sakura

sakurapetal246


	18. my fair lady

**Disclaimer:** if I own Gakuen Alice, Luna will be dead by now…

**Ruin Princess: ****R**evelations will rise. Can they still stand together? **May contain OOCNESS**

* * *

**Previously:**

"We're over now. I have Mikan now, and with her, Im going to start a new life. With her Im going to build new memories and with her, I'll be happy once more,"

He stood up and walked away, leaving the music box on the bare ground, slowly being eaten by flames.

"Goodbye, Chikako Misawa," was the last thing he said before entering the mansion.

**End of chapter 16**

* * *

**Chapter 17: My fair Lady **

"**They may laugh loudly today but when they found out the truth, then they'll cry louder"**

**Continuing from the last chapter…**

The lad who just burned the music box that he kept for almost 3 years was now gone with his memories of his dear chikako.

He went inside the rest house and went straight upstairs to check on the sleeping brown-haired girl which he left moments before.

He was standing before the door which was separating the two creatures.

He was about to open the door when the door opened by its self.

He raised a brow secretly.

He continued his way inside the room but before he can even step forward, a brown-haired woman dressed in long white sleeping attire hugged him tightly, crying.

"Where were you? You told me that your not going to leave me!" while hiccupping in between.

"I went outside. And about your pouch, just let me search for it. It's hot outside and if you'll go out at this temperature, you might collapse again." He said.

She loosened the hug, looked at him, still teary eyed, she smiled.

"Are you sure? I can help you. Just let me change," she said.

She then turned her heel and left him but he reached out for her, caught her arm, and then said "No!" firmly.

"eto-," she was about to complain but he covered her mouth then scolded,

"Do you want to collapse again huh?"

She shook her head, then went back to her bed, disappointed, she called him up, gestured him to sit next to her then used her puppy dog eyes.

"He can't resist this one. Hahahaha" she thought.

She looked at him for sometime while using her puppy looking eyes but that didn't affect him instead he said "that wont work on me if what you mean is that if I you can tag along," coolly, he smiled inwardly

"Must resist natsume! Must resist!" his thoughts noted him.

"Hmpf," arms placed across on her chest she pouted.

"Go on then, but be back okay?!" she said childishly as she looked at his ruby colored orbs then winked.

"Fine fine," as he stood up.

"Bye!" she was waving gleefully at his retreating back.

"Be good okay, little kid?" he joked.

"Im not a little kid meanie!" she winced after throwing a pillow on the back of the lad.

"Whatever, Ja!" he waved, opened the door, went outside, then shut it behind him.

**...0**

The weather outside was hotter than before.

He just went out minutes ago, but there he was sweating.

He looked up on the sky, his hand covering his agitated looking eyes, he sighed.

"Can this day get any hotter?" he said sarcastically.

"Just look for mikan's stuff, then you can go back inside," he noted.

He went back to the coaster alone to look for Mikan's pouch.

He then saw it under his seat, half open.

Curious, he opened the pouch revealing a small picture of two girls that look alike, yet one of them is in pigtails, a small wallet and a dying, brown petal-ed pink hydrangeas.

"Why does she have …?" he asked himself as he pictured the flower given to him by chikako before.

"Is this?..." he thought.

"Na, that's impossible, mikan and chikako?" he was trying his best to deny the rising revelation but what he doesn't know was that sooner or later, what he fears to come true will happen.

He returned the pouch's contents inside, closed it, and got off the coaster, yet his mind is pre-occupied by one thing "what's the meaning of all of this?"

He was confused.

"Mikan was an only child but she keeps on calling "onee-chan" before. Moreover, come to think of it, when we came here for the first time (introduction) Sumire and Luna mocked her before by saying, "Tell us about your family background," he thought to himself.

As he tried his best to dismiss the thought that he was thinking, his theories about mikan and chikako being sisters or at least related became deeper and deeper, he begun thinking that maybe they're half sisters, or maybe one of them was an orphan.

Deeper and deeper he went as he clarify his own thoughts.

Drowning into in his pool of thoughts, he didn't realize that he was once again standing in front of his beloved's doorstep.

He opened the door, and then entered.

He was welcomed by a very energetic, not to mention talkative mikan.

She was there with the others, they were telling some scary stories.

All eyes were glued on natsume as he entered the room.

Still sweating, mikan hurriedly went back to her bed, grabbed the towel that was hanging on her bed side then ran back to natsume.

"Is it that hot outside? You're sweating!" she scolded while wiping off beads of sweat.

"Aren't the two lovely dovey couples so sweet…" the girls teased.

"Sha-shut up!" mikan stammered.

"Ahehehe"

"So, did you find my pouch?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with hope.

"Uh," for a second he hesitated then answered, "no, I wasn't able to find it, maybe you left it at the mansion,"

"Oh, maybe I did," she smiled but she was sure that she had it with her "oh well, maybe Im just seeing things a while ago." she thought.

"Im sorry," he thought.

* * *

**The next day:**

The huge resort owned by natsume's family was spacious and unique.

The roof can be automatically open so that you don't need to go out and stay under the sun to have those "tan lines,"

The atmosphere can be changed also, from summer, to spring, to winter, you name it, and they really can change the remote settings.

Since its summer, the virtual setting of the whole building was on beach setting thanks to Hyugga Industries' new invention, the virtual viewing they turned the simple and boring looking one story room into a great and warm atmospheric beach.

The sand was real and so was the sea.

After hearing a soft click, all of it appeared right before their eyes.

"Sugoi!" shouted a braid styled girl, whose wearing a two piece red bikini.

All eyes were on her.

"Mikan!" called Yui and Kanako in unison, while observing her from head to toe.

She turned then looked at them, then said "ha?" while re0arranging her braided hair.

"What-are-you-wearing?" they asked, astonished on how beautiful and sexy mikan was.

"Uhm, swim suit?" she innocently answered while playing with her hair.

Now that Yui and Kanako were able to point out how "dare looking" her swim suit was, she suddenly felt insecure.

"Hon." called natsume hyuuga who was currently sitting on one of those beach benches.

She looked up to his direction then blushed.

His cool yet bored looking eyes were covered by a pair of brown tinted shades. His well built, muscular body, by a piece of plain, white colored, polo shirt which was unbuttoned and to top it off, he was wearing a pair of black short jeans that reaches up to his knees.

He looked **HOT**.

"What is it natsume?" called the brunette back, while trying to dismiss the discussion between Yui, Kanako and her.

He gestured her to come closer.

"Guys, let's talk later okay? And aren't we supposed to relax anyway?"

"Damn, she look's **HOT**!" he thought while looking at his girlfriend who was walking her way to his direction.

True. Mikan indeed looks hot. Her red two piece bikini was enough for him to complete his day. Her long, flawless, milk colored legs were exposed, making him think of those lustful thoughts which he immediately dismissed. Her long, silky brown hair was braided giving her the "summer gal" look, and her eyes which were sparkling with excitement were covered by pair of brown tilted shades. She smiled.

"What is it natsume?" she asked once more as she seats next to the raven haired lad.

"nothing." He said while placing his hand into her lap.

**S-I-L-E-N-C-E-**

"Mikan," he called.

She looked at his ruby eyes as she smiled and said "what?" childishly. Her attention was on the girls (Ryana, Haine, Hei, Yuuki, Yui, Kanako, Nanako, and Sumire) who were playing beach volleyball at that time.

"No secrets right?"

"What do you mean" she was puzzled.

"You told me, after we fought last time, no more secrets." He plainly said after that he was silent.

"Yeah, of course, no more secrets," she said.

"I need to figure things out." He thought.

An awkward silence enveloped the two love birds once more.

The shouting and laughing of the girls playing volleyball was audible though out the whole area, while the pair who still is sitting next to each other, their skin touching each other remained quiet.

Both are thinking the same thing, "what's going on?"

"Mikan!" called one of the girls.

She looked up, let go of natsume's firm hand and shouted "what?" back.

They were smiling while gesturing her to come and join them.

She then looked up to natsume, staring at his blood colored eyes she smiled.

"Go ahead guys, I'll join you later," was her reply while watching them playing again.

She slid her hand then clasped it into his. He didn't show any reaction.

"Are you ok? Your acting weird since you came back from the coaster," he shook his head and remained silent.

She pouted childishly. Then gave him a "hmpf," expression.

Her hair playing with the wind, her swim suit dancing with the sticky summer air, she too remained silent.

"Im sorry," he whispered in a low voice as she stared at him for a while. Her face carrying a quizzical look.

"What for?" she gave off her carefree smile.

"Im just tired," he lied.

He was quiet the whole time. Flashbacks of chikako and him were playing into his mind. Then mikan's face suddenly flashed, her movements, the moments they shared the kiss, every time they hug, and everything that he shared with mikan was slowly replacing his thoughts of chikako.

He felt confused.

**...0.0.0**

They were eating their last meal of the day. Mikan, haine and hei wasn't there with them because haine was inside her room, taking a shower, mikan said that she'll come downstairs later while hei reasoned out that she need to do something.

They were eating quietly, so quiet that even the slightest noise made by the crickets outside can be heard.

Then a terrible, lung filling scream was suddenly heard.

"Aaahhhhh!"

As soon as they heard it, they rushed upstairs to see what the commotion was all about.

The pitch black hallway unable the, to see clearly, but based on what they had heard, it was something shocking.

There, as Ryana opened the lamps on the corridor, laid an unconscious girl, dressed in white loose night gown which is assisted by Haine.

"Hyuuga, she fainted again," cried haine.

Natsume looked down on the lifeless looking brunette, which was being held fragilely by the panic driven haine.

"I saw her walking then when I was about to approach her, she suddenly fainted," natsume heard haine explained.

After hearing that he carried the sleeping looking brunette bridal style, turned his heel then walked away, bringing her back to her room. He didn't utter a word as he turned his back at them. He remained silent.

The low lit hallway ate his figure, disabling the girls to see him retreating.

A soft 'click' was heard after he opened the unlock door of the brunette. After entering, he shut the door using his feet softly.

He laid the unconscious lass carefully. He was sitting beside her, on her bed, his hand gripping hers, he touched his forehead.

"Are you alright?" he asked as if she's awake.

"You're confusing me," he confessed.

He stayed by her side the whole night.

She once again regains her consciousness around 11 pm.

"You alright?" he asked. She sharpened her eyesight, smiled and said "Yes."

"You hungry?" she shook her head but her stomach spoke for itself.

They were quiet. Moments after they laughed together.

"I'll go get you something," he stated as he stood up.

"Okay, thanks Nat!" she cheerfully replied.

He opened the door, shocked; he saw Ryana, Haine, Hei, and Asae standing right before mikan's door.

"What are you in here?" he coldly asked.

"We wanna check if she's okay," they stated

"She's fine, you can visit her tomorrow, and she's tired,"

"Nat, who are you talking to?" asked the brown-haired woman.

"Mikan?" called Asae questionably.

"Guys! Let them in Nat,"

"tch." Was all he said as he opened the door widely.

"Bleh!" teased ryana.

"hn." He closed the door.

"So, mikan," they started.

"Ha?"

"Are you fine now?" she smiled then nodded.

"Thank goodness!"

"You made me worry!"

"gomene-," while sticking her tongue out.

"Anyway, I have this odd feeling that natsume already knows about your secret." Stated Asae.

Her body suddenly became stiff, she wasn't able to react.

"But that's only a feeling mi-chan, don't worry," said Haine as she looked at mikan's paled face.

"I hope your right. Honestly I wanna tell him the truth but-," she was cut off..

"But what?"

"Im afraid that he'll just tell me that I just loved you because you look like her," she gloomily said, her face showing off a shadowed expression.

The lad that came from the kitchen to get some food for mikan was on his way back, he heard voices and whispers which increased his curiosity. Carrying a tray containing food, he followed the noise he was shocked that the noises came from mikan's room but pushed the thought away.

He was about to open the door when he suddenly heard the name chikako, which made his stop on his tracks.

"Maybe this will help," he thought.

"I am willing to tell him anytime that I and chikako-oneesan are related but Im just looking for the right time to tell it. I know that he might get mad that I didn't tell him earlier but he'll understand. He's not the type of person who is narrow minded enough for him not to understand"

The girls remained silent as they listened intently at mikan's explanation. Hei then dismissed the "chikako related confession" topic for she knows that mikan is still tired, physically and mentally.

"Let's just talk about it tomorrow okay?" mikan smiled.

Natsume after hearing those words coming form mikan herself almost had this pale looking face. His eyes went wide but as soon as he absorbed all that shocking revelations, he came back to his usual cold, emotionless façade. However, he was now sure of one thing "mikan and chikako are related,"

Haine, Hei, Ryana, and Asae opened the door then turned pale afterwards as they saw natsume standing in front of the door.

"Oh, you're back now," was all they said.

"Of course I am tch." He irritably said.

"Look after her okay?!" Asae commanded.

"Whatever,"

He entered the room, after the four girls got out, holding they tray he managed to say "here's you food, hon," plainly.

She became nervous thinking that natsume did hear something so she decided to ask him.

"Where you there for a long time? Did you hear anything?" her voice was shaking but she managed to say it still and clear.

"No. I just arrived dummy, and why would I eavesdrop on you girl talk?" he relied irritably.

She ate quietly. Feeling nervous, she looked up to check on natsume facial expression. Same as always, boring and cold looking.

* * *

**The next morning…**

"I think he knows," she said to the girls. They eyes quadrupled in size, their mouths, almost touching the ground they glued their eyes on mikan.

"Are you sure?"

"Im not, but I too have a feeling that he does…" was her last statement.

They all looked dumbfounded. All of them praying that their inference was a mistake.

**End of chapter 17****A/n: the next chapter. I'll start writing about what will happen to the 5 finalist. Im going to skip the whole eviction thing for the 10 girls because I'll make the fic so long that you guys may find it boring to read, so I decided to start writing about the 5 finalist and natsume. someone will go back inside the mansion and that person will make things worst!**

* * *

**Chapter 18: return of someone**

**Preview:**

Hi!" she greeted happily, as she went inside the mansion. Mikan looked dumbfounded; Asae looked agitated while natsume was giving her a death glare.

"I didn't thin k that I can see you again, ," he greeted.

"Aw. Is that your way of greeting an old friend?" she smirked.

* * *

**I just want to thank these people who reviewed my last chap!**

CrAzikEl911

Dominiqueanne

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-awy35-

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Akerue


	19. return of someone

**Disclaimer: ****G****A mine? If it is, the first thing Im going to do is to kill Luna! **

**Ruin Princess: **as I said before, this will start tackling about the 5 finalist, the one who'll come back then natsume. I changed my mind the last minute because I was planning to make Luna return but something else came up. **Read my A/n notes after reading the fic itself, it might clear things up for you! **

Hope you like it!! **May contain OOCNESS**

**Review**

**Review**

**Review!**

* * *

**Previously:**

**The next morning…**

"I think he knows," she said to the girls. Their eyes quadrupled in size, their mouths; almost touching the ground, they glued their eyes on mikan.

"Are you sure?"

"Im not, but I too have a feeling that he does…" was her last statement.

They all looked dumbfounded. All of them praying that their inference was a mistake.

**End of chapter 17**

* * *

**Chapter 18: return of someone **

"**The feelings that you are trying to restrain can be seen right through your crying eyes,"**

The dry summer air was giving off a damp feeling to the five remaining girls inside the mansion. Weeks after the short vacation on hyuuga's resort, the eviction became more and more immediate, causing them to be five in the end.

Haine, hei, asae, ryana and mikan.

They are the five finalists, yet the night before hotaru announced something appalling.

"Someone is going to be evicted again tomorrow night," she said coldly last night as mikan re stated it for them.

"Who is she?" they all wondered.

"And someone will be joining us too later," reminded mikan.

"yeah." was their plain reply.

They all stayed still and quiet.

Mikan was sitting next to natsume who seems to be pre-occupied.

Mikan then stood up and went into the kitchen.

She then prepared some shaved ice. She put them one by one into some cups then she poured some flavored syrup on top of it.

"ta-dah!" she said as she put the tray full of different colored ice treats.

"Sugoi mikan-chan!" the girls said.

One by one took there fancy treat then eat it.

"Oishi!" the girls cried in joy.

"Hehehe," she was sticking her tongue out.

Natsume, who doesn't fancy sweet things, was able to finish off the treat prepared by his girlfriend.

"Is it delicious?" she asked, hoping that he'll say a "yes" he said "tch, whatever,"

"Hmpf,"

**...0.0.0**

**Later that night….**

The spacious garden of the mansion was filled with people, audiences to be precise. All of them have their own vote and idol. Large bulbs of light were set-up, and near the mansion's main door was a stage with red silky curtain for its back.

The clapping of the audience, the wild cheering of the finalists' fans, the clamping of metals, and the howling of the fan boys covered the whole living room of the reticent mansion.

Natsume, along with the finalists, mikan, haine, hei, ryana, and asae, were sitting comfortably yet nervously on the leather, beige colored sofa.

The atmosphere was heavy, all of them holding this serious looking face, yet they remained calm and composed.

Haine was clasping her hands with Asae's; hei was examining the mansion from left to right frantically. ryana, looking cold and agitated she looked down, giving off a dark shadowed tint, while mikan whose arms are intertwined with natsume's was about to cry.

The large, flat plasma TV in front of them was showing off some crappy and senseless commercials about losing weight in ten days or about some commercial about a modeling contest.

"Good evening ladies and gentleman." Greeted none other than the ice queen herself, hotaru.

The audiences' attention was then diverted whole heartedly to hotaru.

**S-I-L-E-N-C-E-**

"Our 5 finalist that has a chance to win a house and lot and to be natsume hyuuga's fiancée will be revealed after one of them goes out tonight," said hotaru's fiancé ruka, who was invited as a guest co-host.

The crowd was silent and the finalists and natsume's attention was then diverted on the TV.

"Mikan-chan! Gambatte!"

"Ryana-chan, do your best!"

"Haine! You can do it! We love you!"

"Asae! The strong willed girl!"

Banners, large print gloss pictures and people wearing different fan t-shirts can be seen from hotaru's back.

"Now that we only have 5 girls remaining inside the mansion, let's asked them one by one."

**Silence.**

"What experiences changed you?"

"Anyone care to answer?"

Mikan, along with natsume and the others were silent.

"So, mikan, long time no see. How are you?" asked ruka while observing her every move from the large TV beside him and hotaru.

She looked up, clutched natsume's hand tighter and said "Im fine!" happily.

"Good to hear, so care to answer hotaru's question?" she became silent.

Hei, who can't take it anymore, answered the question for mikan by saying "we learned to trust and be friendly with others."

"While staying in here, we learned each others' weaknesses and strengths," continued Haine next as she looked at Hei. She then looked to Asae who said, "And we all realized that even though we may have those differences between all 15 of us,"

Mikan was the last one to complete the explanation, looking confident, she smiled the said, "We can arrange them one by one. And that this contest means nothing to us but friendship not rivalry."

After hearing those touching words, the audience once more cheered, and clapped.

Shouting the finalists' names, they continue to root for them.

"In thirty minutes, we'll all find out who goes out, so stay tuned,"

After that, they went into a commercial break.

**...0.0.0**

**Thirty minutes after…**

"Ladies and gentlemen, we now bring you the results of your voting," smile minimally by the ice princess.

"With five girls remaining inside, who will go be voted for eviction tonight?" asked hotaru to ruka.

"Who are you rooting for anyway?" asked ruka,

"mikan." she replied plainly.

He chucked then said "me too," while showing off his gentle smile.

"Anyway, here is the result…"

"Im sorry to say, but you…"

The intense atmosphere was raising, audiences' attention was fully focused on the upcoming announcement.

"Im sorry to say but you, Haine Sakurako will be going home tonight,"

Her fans were disappointed, their loud deafening shouts was filled with agony.

As for some fans like Mikan's, they all sighed in relieved that once more they were able to save the sweet, charming brown hair lass.

Mikan, after realizing that one of her close friends was going to leave her, she quickly ran up to her and hugged her so tight that Haine herself cannot breathe anymore.

She was letting out a nervous laugh while trying to pull herself together.

"Its fine, its fine. It's not like were not going to see each other anymore right?" she explained to the weeping brunette as she loosens her hug.

"Mikan, don't cry," she said while wiping off her tears.

"Asae," Haine called lastly as she ran up to Asae's direction. She practically threw herself into the silent yet sad looking, strong willed girl as she burst out crying in the end.

"I'll miss you," she said between in her hiccups, but that didn't stop her from crying as hard and loud as she could.

"You'll mess up my shirt you know, stop putting your dirty mucus on it," Asae said while wiping off Haine's tears.

She was smiling, a smile intentionally shown just for her "lil sis"

"Idiot!" she smiled.

"Miss Haine Sakurako, come down now," called ruka from outside.

"Bye guys!" she gleefully bid as she finalize all those good bye fetishes.

She carried all of her bags and went out the door.

Mikan was calming herself down.

Natsume was just looking at the girls, but his stare was glued on mikan.

Asae's still looking at the red colored door, hoping that Haine will pop out and say, "just joking!"

Moreover, as for Hei, she looked surprised.

"Rounding off with an average of 40, mikan sakura,"

Her fans and friends all shouted for joy.

"Next, with an average of 25, let's all clap for Hei Suzumiya,"

"Then, with a 24.5 as an average, Ryana Tanaka."

"And our evictee for tonight with a low average of 10.5, Haine Sakurako."

"And now, for the wildcard" resumed hotaru.

The people watching, and the people who were there all became silent. As if it was their first time hearing about this "wildcard" trick.

"honestly at first, we planned on making one of the evicted girls go back to have one more chance, but then miss imai thought of an idea, why not bring na new girl inside the mansion?" explained the blonde hair boy.

"And now... for the wild card…" he smiled.

The mansion which was glimmering into the night sky outside was too dark to see now. The lights from inside were intentionally shut down.

A low yet hearable squeaking of a door opening was the heard. Mikan, being mikan panicked by saying "thief thief!"

She was running from left to right even though she cannot see anything.

"Mikan!" called the girls as they heard her panicking voice.

"Yeah?" she replied.

"Where are you?"

"I don't know! Hahahaha" she said while letting out a nervous laugh.

Then she suddenly felt a hand resting on her shoulder, she tried to relaxed her self but that went into nothing as she heard someone saying "you'll suffer, starting now," near her.

She let out another ear breaking scream.

Natsume who was separated from mikan was looking for her, when he heard her scream he said "idiot," jokingly while smiling to himself.

10 more seconds passed, after that, the light went back on. The mansion once more glimmers, standing itself out from the pitch black surroundings.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me present you our wildcard, Miss…" hotaru didn't continue because she though that she's mistaken or something.

**...0.0.0**

The card read in bold letters:

**Chikako Misawa, The contest's wildcard.**

**...0.0.0**

Ruka noticing her silent and stoic look gazed on the card that his fiancée was holding, then after reading it, he had this shocked looking expression too.

"Chikako misawa??" he asked to hotaru,

"I don't know, she's dead ruka! Dead!" she exclaimed in a low voice.

"Continuing.. And tonight, from this day on, let me introduce you to our wildcard, chikako misawa,"

Audiences, for the third time that night gasped shockingly, thinking that they heard the introduction wrong.

Some of them remained stoic and quiet just as hotaru did a while ago, but majority of them after absorbing the mere fact that they were mistaken started whispering rumors that I cannot be true because chikako misawa has been dead for almost half a year now.

**...0.0.0**

**Inside the mansion…**

As the mansions lit up again, mikan along with the girls one by one came back to their seats then a girl with soft, silky, layered brunette hair with matching glittering coffee hue eyes appeared in front of them.

They all looked at her with wonder and astonishment. Mikan and natsume was the most serious of all of them.

"Chikako?" they both thought.

"It's impossible," some of them thought.

Hi!" she greeted happily, as she went inside the mansion. Mikan looked dumbfounded; Asae looked agitated while natsume was giving her a death glare.

She was wearing a white summer dress with brown sandals. Her layered hair was tied in a pony tail.

"Hi! Im chikako misawa, 17 years old," she emphasizes the name chikako misawa then she smiled while bowing in front of them.

Mikan, who is trying to pull herself together stood up, and smiled then introduced herself "hi! Im mikan sakura, 16 years old," then she bowed too.

"Don't mess with me little girl, chikako misawa's been dead for a while now," he said coldly yet his cherry orbs were outranged, full of anger.

He first observed her from head to toe, looking at her intently; there was no mistake that they do look together, as if they were cloned.

"Im not Nat, then if I am, care to explain why I am here?" she smirked.

"Natsume?" called the brunette in a low yet questioning voice.

"Still don't believe me?" she asked sweetly.

He gave her a death glare again, but his façade then changes when he realized that chikako misawa suddenly pulled him into a kiss.

The two were kissing in front on everybody. Mikan, asae, ryana, and hei.

Asae suddenly pulled mikan, and blindfolded her eyes by covering it by her hand.

Then she whispered "bitch."

Mikan who was shock up to this point cannot think straightly, her mind was blank and and so was her shining orbs.

"Don't let that affect you," she heard asae whispered.

"Im fine now. asae-chan, you can let me go now," she said in a cold voice.

"You're not mikan, your not,"

Mikan and the others were silent. Mikan was crying silently while her eyes are being covered by Asae's hand, hei was standing there, shocked.

Chikako broke their kiss; natsume regaining his old self glared at her for the last time then said "Im outta here," leaving the girls and chikako behind.

Mikan freed herself from Asae's hand and run after natsume.

Her tears still pouring, she called natsume's name repeatedly.

"What are you planning huh?" said asae in an outranged voice.

"It's none of your business. Stop meddling in someone else's affairs," she said as she disappeared through the hallways.

"Mikan," was the last statement asae, ryana, and hei said as they all prayed for the couple's relationship.

"Be ready mikan sakura." Said chikako misawa, her mouth forming into a smugly smirk.

**End of chapter 18**

**...0.0.0**

**Preview: chapter 19- sufferings**

"Why don't you just stay away huh?" chikako said while holding mikan's hair.

"Your not onee-san," she said, tears were visible in her eyes.

"You don't know what really happened so shut up!" she said as she slapped mikan's cheeks.

**...0.0.0**

**A/n:**

**Confused? Here's the explanation..**

Haine was evicted then the committee decided to put a wildcard to see what will the audiences and finalists reaction will be. They chose the girl who was on their top list that didn't make it inside the mansion.

**Moreover, about the wildcard…**

She is related to chikako; in fact, she's her **FULL BLOOD TWIN SISTER.**. Her real name was Chiaki Misawa, but she decided to use her onee-san's name because she looks up for her. Mikan isn't aware of her other half-sister and so was natsume.

Her motive for joining the contest is to make mikan suffer, because she believes that natsume needs to stay forever with her onee-san even though she's dead already.

"Loyalty" this was her perception about relationships.

She was staying in London, England the whole time so she didn't have any idea about her sister passing away, not until she came, back 2 months ago and her parents told her about it.

She felt so lonely and sad, that after hearing about the contest, she quickly auditioned but wasn't taken as a finalist. So yeah. I'll explain more of her on the following chapters.

The only thing you need to think about now is how she'll affect natsume and mikan's relationship, and how the revelations will one by one unfold.

I just introduced her to you people now because I thought that it's going to be more exciting that another twist was added.

**...0.0.0**

**I want to thank these people who reviewed my last chappie:**

Dominiqueanne

charmix08

midnightblue123

Cutenatsumexmikan

k0nek0

Hageshii-Ichigo

Pukite

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akerue

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Love Hell Rocket

S.Mercury

helltishL0Ve

Kimiko-Sakura

kyatoraina-chan

funny sakura


	20. sufferings

**Disclaimer: ****G****A mine? If it is, the first thing Im going to do is to kill Luna! **

* * *

**Ruin Princess: **it seem that many of you people are still confused.

Therefore, here's the explanation... Mikan and chikako are **HALF SISITERS**. While chikako and chiaki are **FULL BLOOD TWIN SISTERS,** meaning that chikako and chiaki have the same blood running to their veins.

Hope you like it! **May contain OOCNESS!!**

**Review**

**Review**

**Review!**

* * *

**Previously:**

"Mikan," was the last statement asae, ryana, and hei said as they all prayed for the couple's relationship.

"Be ready mikan sakura." Said chikako misawa, her mouth forming into a smugly smirk.

**End of chapter 18**

* * *

**Chapter 19: sufferings**

"**Love and like are two different things,"**

**Continuing for the last chapter…**

Mikan was still running. Her head looking from left t right the right to left, she continued her search for natsume.

What she's feeling now was unexplainable. Her heart was feeling heavy and she cannot breathe properly.

It feels like her neck is being strangled.

She called out his name for the umpteenth time, but didn't receive any answer.

She run and run, her tears dropping one by one.

Stopping to catch her breath, she didn't notice that she was already standing in front of their sakura tree.

She walked her way slowly. The big outside lights of the mansion was outlining the huge, petal falling sakura tree as mikan stood under it.

Touching its rough, vast trunk, she started crying.

She still was standing there, her crying red eyes resting on her shoulders, she continued weeping.

"Why is it like this?" she asked herself in a miserable voice while wiping off her uncontrollable tears.

She then sat down, her knees closer to her chest; she rested her forehead on top of her shaking cold legs.

Mikan who was still crying, suddenly stopped when she heard someone saying "stop crying like a child, little girl,"

She looked from left to right vigorously, trying to search for that voice. Then it struck her, it came from the braches up her.

Talking in a high area, their voices were both loud and clear.

Her leaning on the tree's trunk and him sitting on the lowest reachable branch.

"Why are you here natsume?" she asked in a seemingly inaudible voice.

"Betsuni. Why are crying?" he asked in monotone.

"Nothing, nothing!" she forcefully replied in a happy go lucky tone.

"If you say so,"

**Silence.**

"Nat," she called.

"HN?!" he replied in an aggravated tone.

"Do you still love her?" she was looking at the sakura petal covered floor as she asked. Her voice was melancholic in tone.

He did answer her straight forward question. From his seating place, he jumped off to face the pale looking girl. For the last time, he hugged her.

His cuddle tightening every minute, he treasured it.

He treasured the days they both do nothing but to laugh.

To tease.

To daydream.

And

To pray that at least time will stop for the two of them.

She felt her pale cheeks warm up. Her heart thumping faster as every spare second pass. Her dispirited looking orbs became generous in size, yet she knew that something is bound to happen.

Something unexpected and crestfallen.

She unconsciously started crying.

Her mind being filled with only previews of her life without natsume made her heart sunk into displeasure.

Her world that became so happy and daring, where she learned how to stood up and be honest for herself was going to end soon.

She knew all of these the moment she saw her look a like half-sister.

He noticed his shirt being wet by the minute, and her girlfriend being silent.

He broke his hug, stared at her face for the last time, as if it was love at first sight.

Natsume looked down, seconds after he regain his usual façade, he faced her again, his guilty looking cherry orbs covered by his black raven bangs, he said "Im sorry," then he let go of her, turned his back and walked away.

"Im sorry," the words rang into her ears endlessly.

"Natsume," she shouted his name one last time.

He stopped on his tracks but didn't look back.

She gave off a sour smile, trying to stabilize her wobbling voice she said "thanks," with that he walked away.

Her tears were flowing non-stop the moment she made sure natsume was no where to be seen by now.

She tried giving off her usual carefree smile.

She tried to deny the fact that they broke up.

She tried to deny she's not hurt.

And

She tried to deny that her world is crumbling one by one.

Wiping those larger falling crystalline tears, she said, "I'll wait," with a smile.

A girl with long layered cut brunette hair, wearing a short short and a black spaghetti strap shirt was sitting on her window pane.

She saw everything that had happen to mikan and natsume, holding a picture frame with her sister's picture inside it; she said "mikan sakura," to the frame.

"I'll avenge you, nee-san" was her sole to herself and her parents.

**The next morning:**

10:30 am. The brown-haired girl was sitting on top of her comfy, white covered bed. Her hair was a mess, her eyes both have eye bags under it, and her face, she looks miserable.

She washed her face and immediately went down to eat with the others knowing that they'll all at the dinning table now, eating silently.

"Good morning Nat-," all eyes were on her. From head to toe, chikako scanned her.

Mikan was wearing a short short, with a large, long, plain baby blue t-shirt. Her hair was tied into a messy bun.

She didn't bother to continue her morning routine the moment she saw chikako seating next to natsume who was eating quietly.

She both met their gazes but she became drown of natsume's.

With just those stares, they look like they haven't seen each other for a long time.

From the looks of it, them looking at each other, even though they both didn't utter a word, the gang and chikako knew that they were communicating.

"Hon," called up chikako, as she pulled his shirt's sleeves.

They eye contact broke; she didn't greet him a "good morning," just like every other day. Instead, she went straight to the other side of the table and sat next to ryana, there she greeted the others.

"Ohayo!" she cheerfully said as she sat down.

"Ohayo," was their flat, and bored reply.

"What happened?" asked ryana while looking at chikako and natsume's direction.

"We-," she was hesitating to say it out, since she herself was not yet used to her new life.

"We what?"

"Broke," she stopped "up,"

Her last statement made ryana dropped her spoon.

Dumbfounded, she stayed quiet. Respecting her friends' privacy and personal lives is one of her priorities so she decided not o push mikan at her limit.

She doesn't want things to reach the point where in she'll end up crying again.

The plates left mostly done, one by one, they went into their won rooms to do their own thing, leaving ryana and mikan at the dining hall, cleaning up the table.

They were washing the dirty, oily plates quietly.

The white foamy water reaching mid half of their arms, they washed it off.

"Mikan?" ryana called.

She didn't answer, she continue washing the plates. Receiving no answer, she continued interrogating her.

"Are you-," she hesitated "alright?"

She knew that it was a stupid remark to ask but that was the only way she could think off so that mikan will open up to her.

"Yeah," she answered, her tears flowing "just fine," she continued.

**Plop-plop-plop **

The sound of her tears falling endlessly into the soapy mixture was audible.

She looked up and stared at ryana.

Her eyes never produced such amount of tears.

Her facial expression was never been graver.

And her ability to be optimistic and to just laugh off her problems never became this low.

"What happened really got into you, ne?" she smiled as she pulled her into a hug.

"Ryana," she cried.

"Its fine just cry to your heart's content."

"Im hurt. I never felt this hurt before," she said

"There, there"

"Why is it like this? Why is it that I need to look like my sister? Why is it that even though I smiled last night and said that I'll wait patiently, just seeing a glance of them together makes me feel that I already waited such a long time,"

Ryana was flooded with questions she herself cannot answer.

What she only knows was tha mikan really loves natsume from the bottom of her heart.

She continued crying continuously, pouring all of her suppressed feelings.

"There, there," comforted ryana.

A boy with sleek black raven hair heard everything, feeling guilty and hurt, he said "sorry," one more time but was only audible to himself.

He thought that all of his feelings for chikako were gone but the moment he saw her, breathing and alive, he realized that he was awfully mistaken.

He also decided to keep the mikan and chikako relationship, for he knows that when he do tell anybody that, things will get more complicated.

**Later that afternoon…**

Hours passed so quickly that she didn't even notice it was time to cook for tonight's dinner. Therefore, she went down, and started cooking.

Humming a pleasant-sounding tune, her favorite song that's always stuck on her head, she slowly and unrecognizably started singing.

**nagai ichinichi ga owari  
kiete yuku kako e no tobira  
kizutsuitemo ii sore yori  
chigau jibun wo mite mitai**

He went down to check up on her. Seeing her that devastated looking, he felt very guilty. The mikan that he always sees smiling was always spacing out. wanting to get a close glimpse of her, he went straight to the refrigerated to get a glass of water.

**can I try? "Why should I?" togireta koe  
kioku no hako ni nemuru (omo)i  
You're always on my mind so...**

She didn't realize that she has company. Still singing, she continued cooking.

"Natsume," she whispered as she paused for a while.

He didn't bulge. Drinking, he sat on a high chair and placed his elbow on top of the kitchen top parallel to mikan's position. He stared at her secretly.

**Stand by me  
sabitsuita sekai ni  
nani ga aru no? Show me stars again itsuka  
demo mienai kirameki ga aru koto  
kidzukasete kureta kara  
**

**dareka no tame ni nakeru nante  
wakaranakatta  
omou dake de itoshikute  
setsunaku naru no  
Stand by me  
Stand by me yeah baby**

she reached out for a bottle of vinegar which is placed on top of the shelf. Tiptoed, she was able to reach it but fell down on her butt. Laughing at herself, she resumed singing. While natsume who saw everything, stayed quiet, and continued observing her.

**so Stand by me  
(so Stand by me oh...)  
yeah baby Stand by me  
(you're always on my mind)  
mada mienai kirameki ga aru nara  
arukidaseru kitto  
mitsuketai no anata to so...  
Stand by me...**

She was smiling while wiping both of her hands. She tasted the food that she just finished cooking and sighed in relieved. While the raven haired lad, who stayed there for half an hour sitting quietly was smiling.

"Maybe Im thinking too much," he said to himself as he stood up.

"Oh, hi…." She said shyly as she saw him walking off quietly.

"What are you singing?" he said.

"Singing? You heard?" she blushed.

"HN."

"Oh, are you hungry now? I just finished cooking."

"No. Im fine," he walked near the stove to taste the food himself.

He got the small plate, and a small spoon that mikan used moments ago, he got a sample from the hot, steam releasing pot then tasted it.

Her eyes went wide as she saw what the raven haired boy did.

"He used the same utensil as I did" she paused "indirect kiss," she thought, but accidentally said it out loud.

"your cooking is great as usual," he showed off a gentle smile as he put the utensils down.

As he saw her shocked looking expression, he realized what he did to make her look like that.

"we used the same utensil," he thought"

"don't make such a big deal out of it," he snapped.

"oh, huh?"

"never mind." He was about to turn around and walk off, but mikan saw a piece of soup on his lower right cheek, so she came up to him, stood in front of him and wiped the dirt off out of his face using her fingers.

Her stood there, his body all stiffed up, his eyes doubled in size.

He unconsciously held into her right arm, the one that she used to wiped off the dirt.

She noticed this and looked straight into his sad looking cherry eyes.

He, on the other hand didn't get her "let go of me stare" so he too, stared directly at her coffee hue eyes.

She blushed. Her heart thumping so fast, beating.

Her body was starting to warm-up.

Her mind is going blank.

And the next thing she knew was that his lips were a few centimeters away from hers.

The scene that was happening the very moment didn't register into her blank mind immediately.

His lips was about to touch hers when suddenly he realized that it was wrong. He pulled back, looked at her blushing face, her large eyes, and said "Im sorry."

Hearing the word Im sorry made her snapped back to her usual self.

She stared at the other direction, feeling awkward, she said "its fine, my fault anyway," with that she gave off a nervous smile.

"…" he utter a word.

He turned around and walked away. Leaving an astonished looking brunette.

A pair of angry looking eyes saw everything. The owner walked away too…

**Dinner time:**

Tempura. Onigiri. Yakitori. Sukiyaki. Soup. And plain rice were prepared in front of the remainder of the mansion.

"Sugoi mikan-chan!" the girls cheered as they took a bit of her cooking.

"he he," she giggled.

"It's not that tasty, and it's not that delicious, what are making such a fuss about it?" contradict chikako.

"Stop it." said natsume as he stared at her.

"but-"

"Tch."

"I hate her.," whispered asae to mikan.

"hehehe," she gave off a nervous laugh.

"Mikan! mikan!" called hei excitedly.

"nani?" she peered at her.

"since the finals will be 2 weeks from now, the management allowed to us to go out for a day to but our own clothes for the finals. Wanna go tomorrow?" she smiled.

"sure. Why not?"

"Yey!" hei clapped in excitement.

"what time are we going out tomorrow?" she asked.

"as early as we can. So that we can have the whole day,"

"are you coming also? Asae-chan and ryana-chan?" she asked.

"of course we are." Answered ryana.

"we don't want to be left in here, stuck with an unknown girl in here. To-ge-ther- with us," she then glared to chikako.

"what the-," she knew that she was the one asae was talking about but the moment she was about to stand up, natsume pulled her arm and held it tightly.

"they're just teasing you," he said coldly.

"you call that teasing?" she argued.

"I know them better than you do, so shut it."

She jerked his hand, stood up and walked away.

All of the girls stared at the two of them. Two are smirking, one is feeling bad for the girl and another one was thinking to torment her more.

"You shouldn't have done that," mikan said out of the blue.

"HN."

Mikan also stood up then, she ran after chikako who went outside.

"Answer me, natsume." called asae.

He looked at her boringly, and raised a brow.

"Do you really like that bitch? Or is she just blackmailing you?"

"Its none of your business," he said.

He stood up, hands in his pockets, he went to the infamous sakura tree.

**Meanwhile….**

Mikan was able to catch up with chikako. Panting she stood in front of her sitting look alike.

"Are you alright?" she asked gently.

She gazed up, and glared then as she stood up; she said, "don't be such a two face bitch!"

Mikan was shocked. She was the one who is trying to help her onee-san but this is what she got after doing so. While thinking about that, she didn't notice chikako bearing herself into her.

The next thing she knew was that her hair is being held by her sister.

"Why don't you just stay away huh?" she asked forebodingly.

She didn't respond to what chikako said. She was just looking at the shining stars above her.

"You're not onee-san," she said as tears well-up into her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" she shouted.

"I know, because she's dead. She's been visiting me in my dreams, and if I am going to compare you two, you're not even close to onee-san," she smiled.

Large and fat crystalline tears were already falling.

"Who are you, really?" she asked while looking at her, her stare making chikako guilty.

"You didn't know what happened to me!" she yelled as she slapped mikan's left cheeks.

She fell down and at the same time natsume passed them.

He ran to mikan's direction and helped her.

"What happened?" he said in a low voice.

"nothing." She smiled

"What did you do to her?" he glared at chikako.

"Why are you siding with her?" she yelled, she started crying, "You're my fiancé, natsume,"

"Who told you that? And if you are, Where is your engagement ring that I gave to you before you die?" he coldly reply.

"Uhm," she wasn't able to answer but she shot back a sad pitiful look and said, "Who would you chose then? Me, your past love, or mikan?"

His eyes got bigger, but seconds after, he went back to his usual façade.

He was holding mikan's hand as he replied a simple "stop acting like a child chikako,"

While mikan, who was still sitting on the grassy floor didn't say a word.

Chikako walked out looking irritated, leaving mikan and natsume behind.

"thanks." She said while looking down.

"HN," with that he walked away.

She ran after him, hugged him from behind, and said, "You shouldn't let one- I mean chikako-san feel like that, don't hurt her."  
He wished that time will stop even for a minute or two.

He faced her, and pulled her into a tight hug and whispered, "Don't make me feel more guilty," with that he walked away.

"guilty?" she wondered.

**End of chapter 19**

* * *

**A/n:**

Long update, sorry for that.

I wan thinking if I should still write fic and stuff..

So yeah, actually Im planning to quit, but Im still not sure yet.

Please help me reach my dream review which is 500+. (haha! As if that will happen)

**Preview:  
chapter 20-Im going now**

"**Mikan, is it true?"**

"**We need to talk..."**

"**Why do you want me to stay?"**

* * *

**...0.0**

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**...0.0**

* * *


	21. im going now

**Disclaimer: ****G****A mine? If it is, the first thing Im going to do is to kill Luna! **

**Ruin Princess: **for the ones who keep on reading and supporting me thru reviews and encouraging words, I thank you all! gomene if there are times that I am so "selfish" saying things like "im gonna give up" or "im planning to quit," it's just that im having some complicated times now.

**please REVIEW! **

**review!  
**

**review!**

* * *

**This chap is dedicated to: helltish, hana no uta, koneko, Dominiqueanne, sara and pathetic rainbow.. **

* * *

**Previously:**

He faced her, and pulled her into a tight hug and whispered, "Don't make me feel more guilty," with that he walked away.

"guilty?" she wondered.

**End of chapter 19**

* * *

**Chapter 20: im going now**

"**Maybe loving you was my mistake, maybe hoping that you'll love me forever was only a dream and maybe all that happened between us was only my hallucinations,"**

"I volunteer myself to be evicted anytime this week,"

The sun was giving off a hotter and intense heat making the atmosphere inside the mansion more rigid and concentrated.

"Mikan….." whispered hei while gazing at the silent, blank looking brunette who was sitting outside, drinking tea all by herself.

"Is she okay? What made her decision that final?" wondered ryana who was sitting next to hei.

"Let her have her own space for a while, she's hurt and miserable right now. She'll open up once she's calm down." Stated asae.

"But if she was so sure of her decision, she'll be gone by the end of this week," ryana replied.

"If she is going, let her be, if she's not, then fine then. Let her decide for herself, even this time only,"

"Mikan," mumbled hei and ryana again.

**Outside…**

"Don't make me feel more guilty?" she said, as she mimics natsume's tone of voice.

"What does he mean?" she asked herself for the thousand time.

**Mikan's POV**

After what happened last time, I started doubting myself if I should stay here until the contest is over.

While drinking my tea, I turned around to check if hei and the others are still there.

I know that they are worried for me, and im feeling sorry for myself, making them worry like that but even I don't know what I should do anymore.

If I stay right in here, with natsume and onee-san, it'll make me more miserable than I am already.

If I go out, go out from this very house, I'll miss them. However, the hurt that im feeling right now was just too much.

Seeing them together, spending some time together, makes me feel that he only liked me before I looked like her.

And maybe he did.

I can't stand the times when I see them kissing or showing affection through each other (even though onee-san was the only one showing it,) it breaks my heart.

I never felt this selfishness before.

Maybe I want natsume for myself, maybe I like him to be by my side forever, but now, I know that that will never happen because she has onee-san with him.

As I dig deeper into my own thoughts, as I repeatedly think of reasons on how natsume ended up liking me, it became more and more senseless to me.

"Did he really like me for me being me? Or is it because I am onee-san's look a like"

Tears started falling unconsciously as I dug deeper into my thoughts.

Then I realized something...

I was making a fool of myself the whole time.

I never felt this humiliated before, being used as a tool to kill time.

I cried harder than ever as I realized my dumbest mistakes ever.

"I guess this will be my punishment for taking things for granted." I whispered to myself as I lowered my head.

The wind blew gently through my ears as if whispering those relaxing sounds.

The swaying trees which were dropping numerous petals and leafs relaxed me.

I then heard a small rustling sound.

I looked up and down the trees to see what it was then a lad around my age appeared, having those cold, guilty looking eyes stare at me made me feel more melancholic and sentimental inside.

"We're you here the whole time?" I asked him coldly.

He didn't answer but he gave off a shrugged.

"Maybe I should just leave, right?" I asked him.

As I observed him form the corner of my red, and puffy looking coffee hue eyes, I saw him twitch.

"We need to talk." He said plainly, trying to keep his composure.

Mikan was standing in front of the tall blossoming tree.

Her hands touching the wooden railing of the balcony.

She stared at the raven haired boy who is sitting on a branch leveling the height of the balcony. She cannot see his face clearly, because he was sitting sideward.

"There is nothing more we should talk about."

"There is mikan, there is."

"If you are trying to convince me not to voluntarily evict myself, you're too late." She firmly said.

She didn't receive any answer.

The swaying of the trees, the whistling, and whispering of the air, and the sweet scent of the flowers filled the empty, hushed environment.

"Stay by my side." He whispered.

She covered her mouth by her trembling hands, her eyes were watering up as she asked him repeatedly,

"Why? Why at this time? Why natsume?" she cried while wiping off those droplets of tears.

"Just stay by my side…," he darkly and lowly said.

It was more than a command than a plead, but knowing natsume, it was clear to mikan that he was pleading.

"I can't natsume, Im sorry," she then walked out.

"Mikan" he whispered as he jumped off the tree's branch and walked off somewhere else.

What they didn't know was that chikako heard all of this.

She has this irritated look on her face, and her eyes were shining with anger.

"Mikan sakura." She called in a dark manner as while saying all those colorful words she knows.

Mikan went back inside the mansion, still blushing, her heart still thumping faster than normal.

"mi-chan?" she looked up then she saw the girls namely hei, asae, and ryana.

"Guys," she smiled.

"What happened, your face looks red all over." They commented.

"Oh, this? Hahahaha, nothing, it's so hot outside so I decided to just go inside."

"Okay then," said ryana

"But mi-chan are you…"

"Yes hei, Im sorry if I didn't tell you guys about this. Yes. It is confirmed that I am leaving two days from now," she said

"I'll never forgive you, if this contest is finish and you don't remember us anymore!" she said.

"I wont forget you all guys, don't worry..."

**Later that night:**

She was walking around the mansion, all of the places that she wanted to visit before but she didn't have any time doing was where you can find her now.

She was thinking different things as she passed some of her hanging places before. She smiled to herself as she saw her most likable hanging place –it's found in the back part of the mansion-

She walked there slowly and sat and since the whole mansion is a garden full of sakura tree, she can't help herself to play those old memories that natsume and she shared together.

She didn't speak a word as she sat down, her back against the brick wall of the mansion.

"Im going out from here, two days from now, will I be able to move on?" she asked herself.

She felt someone else's presence besides her but she didn't mind it.

"I heard that you volunteered yourself even though the eviction periods are done," said chikako, who was hiding behind the tree the whole time.

"So what? Does it have any connection with you?" she shot back.

"Don't think to highly of yourself. Being natsume's toy girlfriend for a while im not present was the only reason you two started going out." said chikako with a grin to her face.

"So what if that's true? At least we both have a good time, and don't speak such non-sense cause im sure that you are not onee-san, im sure of it. so just leave me be," mikan said irritated.

"Who are you telling to back off huh? I have every right to tell you the truth, especially that I am your ONEE-SAN," she emphasized.

"Suit yourself, if your really my onee-san that is," she stood up and was about to walk away when chikako grabbed her and said "were not yet done, you bitch,"

She was about to slap mikan across the cheek when mikan on timely dodge her arm by holding it tightly.

"Don't you dare touch me," with that, she jerked chikako's arm and walked away, leaving a frustrated looking chikako.

"What are you doing in here?" said natsume who suddenly appeared behind the tress.

"Uhm, nothing. Just out for some fresh air." she quickly reasoned.

"Do you know the reason on why mikan wanted to go out from this mansion??" he coldly asked.

"I don't know, and why do you need to care about her? im here now natsume! im here!" she cried.

"It's not what you think it is, and im only asking you because it seems like after your arrival n here, she started feeling threatened,"

"Don't think about her now natsume! im here! So please, don't look on other girls except me," she said as she near herself to natsume.

She then touched his cheeks in a seducing were and whispered "don't look on anybody else, please" she was acting pitifully as she grabbed natsume's hand and dragged him inside.

Natsume didn't care what chikako said to him because all that time, his thought and feeling are only diverted to mikan's.

**Two days after (voluntary eviction night) **

"We are here live in front of the contest's mansion to welcome mikan sakura, who, the other day voluntarily evicted herself out from the mansion two weeks after chikako misawa's entrance." Said hotaru, who was this time wearing a simple, plain pair of blue jeans and a purple fitted shirt.

Tons of mikan fans were standing outside the mansion gates, waiting for their idol, mikan to go outside those tall black painted gates. Some of them are still devastated that she decided to go out since many of the voters was assuring that she will win the contest fair and square.

Days before the eviction night, many newspapers and talk shows are wondering why mikan sakura, the sure winner of the contest will back out.

"Maybe she realized that misawa-san is far greater than her," said one of a TV show anchor.

But on the contrary, there are still many supporters who believe that something must have happened to her for her to just decide like that.

"according to some sources which are both close to chikako and mikan-chan, it is said that the reason that she is giving up on the near end of the contest is because she and natsume broke up, and the reason for the said break-up was the wildcard herself, chikako misawa," the statement which was unknown if that really came from a reliable source was published the night before the eviction, "the revolution" was the newspaper that provided the shocking issue that made the whole "Search for the Hyuuga bride fans" go gaga.

"fifteen minutes from now, we will all see mikan sakura, as she herself goes out from this mansion in which she stayed for at least three months," said a co-host,

The crowds loud cheering and shouting made mikan more excited but at the same time, she started thinking about if her decision really is true.

all of the participants were scattered inside the mansion, some were inside their rooms, crying and upset that mikan, their close friend is going out, while some are just grinning to themselves as they are satisfied that a hindrance was now gone.

"Why do you want me to stay?" she cried, while standing in front of the sakura tree, which holds most of her memorable memories while staying in there.

"I can't tell you right now, just stay," he was saying this in a dark way.

"You want me to stay but you won't tell me why? You're despicable," she said as she turned her back and started walking away.

As soon as he heard her footsteps going farther and farther, he quickly jumped off to catch up to her, and In a swift way, he hugged her from the back.

He then whispered, "Just listen to me, for once,"

"It's too late," was all she was able to say.

She waited for him to let go of her but that moment didn't came. She jerked his arm which were both wrapped into her petite waist and walked off, he caught her arm and hugged her.

And whispered "please," but still, mikan didn't move an inch, she looked down, jerked his arm away and left.

As she entered the mansion hall, she couldn't stop herself form wiping off her tears, crying silently while walking in those dark, cold hallways, she said to herself, "I can move on,"

She went to her room, to get her stuff and immediately went down; there the others are waiting for her, sitting silently in the cream colored couch.

"Bye guys," she said as she approaches them

"Mikan." the three girls said

"Take care," chikako said. She stood up and walked towards her, she hugged mikan and whispered "that's what you get for being a hindrance"

Mikan didn't say anything but instead she hugged back and smiled saying "thanks you, onee-san" emphasizing the phrase 'onee-san'

The little brunette girl broke the hug and walked to her friends' direction, there she smiled at the gently and said "thank you for taking care of me," she then bowed to show her respect and soon smiled once more.

Hei, asae, and ryana approached her. they, for the last time gave her a big hug which all lef them teary eyed.

"I'll sure miss your bubbly attitude," whispered hei

"I'll miss your laugh and everything about you," said asae.

"Take care mikan, hope we can see each other real soon," ryana said

Ryana didn't want to say other things to her other than take care and see you because she knows that if this continues, things will be harder for her.

after her little sister's death, she never felt this happy and contented after meeting mikan.

They broke their hug and smiled, bowing in a synchronized way they all replied "it's a pleasure meeting you,"

Mikan the proceeded going outside, she didn't bother saying her goodbye and thank you to natsume because she knew that even though she is already outside, time will come that they will definitely meet each other. She kept her stoic face as she passed natsume, just to show him that she can go out from this mansion without thinking or regretting something that has a connection with natsume.

"mikan."

He called her for the fifth time by her name. He was holding her petite arm as he himself tries to stop the leaving brunette.

"Ha?"

He didn't utter a word. Instead, he grabbed all the bag mikan was holding and whispered, "I'll set you off,"

She remained quiet. Moments after, they continue walking.

She opened the large oak door of the mansion. Welcomed by the warm summer breeze she said "thank you for everything natsume. I had a great time."

Ever since their break-up, mikan wasn't able to neither look nor smile at natsume directly.

This was her first time.

"…"

He set her off quietly. Walking under the blossoming sakura trees, they remained hushed.

"I'll see you soon." He said to mikan.

She looked at him with such gentle eyes, she smiled at him gently, gave him a kissed on the cheek and hugged him. "You've been so nice to me, that every time I see you with her, I can't keep myself from becoming jealous,"

Hearing those words coming from her made his eyes widened; he hugged mikan back so tightly that the brunette wasn't able to breath.

"I told you don't leave me because Im coming back to you,"

"Stop saying those teasing words," she said playfully as she broke the hugged.

Both of them were shocked as natsume saw mikan crying, he told her about her tears, but she laughed it off, by saying

"There must be something in my eye," she said as she wiped off her tears.

"stop fooling yourself," was the last phrase he said as they continue walking.

Moments passed and her time to go is there. They can both see those tall, large black painted gates.

"I'll be good here," she said

"Are you sure?"

"Yes hyuuga-kun, thanks" she bowed one last time.

"Don't call me hyuuga-kun, polka," he said as he hugged her one last time.

"Im sorry," he thought.

"And don't call me polka," she said playfully.

She one by one got her bags from natsume and as he gave off her one last purse, his ruby colored eyes widened as he found himself being kissed by mikan.

The kiss only lasted for a minute. It wasn't even called a kiss because she simply let her lips brushed off his.

She broke it then said; "this is goodbye then, ja!" she smiled and waved.

"…"

He remained quiet and composed as he watched her silhouette be eaten by those large lights in front of the mansion.

"Mikan," he called out lowly.

Convinced that she will not turn her back and go back, he walked back to the mansion, thinking of their happy days together, when they are still a couple.

"Natsume"

"Natsume"

"Natsume"

"Natsume"

He can hear mikan's voice calling him from his memories. Flashbacks of her calling him differently every time filled his mind.

**As for mikan…**

As those large white emitting lights blinded her perfect eyesight, she cannot help but to think about their shared memories when they used to be a couple.

"After all of this, I'll start a new life," she said to herself.

"as we can see, our lovely mikan is now going out from this gates," said the host

The clapping and cheering became wilder and louder.

"mikan mikan!"

The gates opened at the same time, revealing thousand of people, clapping, yelling, and shouting for her.

"This is it, bye."

She set foot outside the mansion. Smiling truthfully, she waved and said hi.

Then she saw ruka holding his hand out as he tries helping mikan go up the stage.

"How are you mikan?" he greeted

"I miss you! I miss everyone!" she said as he hugged him tight.

"Me too, and everyone else,"

Ruka escorting mikan went to the center of the stage; giving his mic to mikan, she said "hello minna-san!" bubbly

The crowd became silent for a second and then resumed their shouting

"Mikan mikan mikan!"

Then mikan saw hotaru. At first she held this "I don't know her look" because of shock but then she run up to her as she realized that the hotaru standing in front of her is real

"Hotaru!" she shouted as she threw herself off.

"Baka,"

"I missed you! I missed you! I missed you!" she repeatedly said to her stoic best friend

"Me too," she whispered.

"Why don't you go and thank your fans first? They've been supporting since the very beginning," she said as she broke the hug

"okay!"

She once again walked to the center of the stage and bowed. The audience became quiet.

"Im sorry for shocking you about this selfish decision of mine, I hope you can all forgive me," she said still bowing.

She waited for the crowds' response but she didn't receive anything except for "that's alright, your forgiven,"

She looked to them teary eyed and said "arigatou-, minna-san"

They interviewed mikan after that. Asking things like 'how do you feel now that you are out form the mansion' or 'what made you decide like that?'

All of it, she answered truthfully but she became teary eyed and nostalgic in feeling when someone form the audience asked her, 'why did you broke up? Do you still love him?' she didn't answer the question straight forward but instead she said 'all I know is that when Im with him, I have fun,' she smiled.

Thirty minutes after, the crowds all went home because the program was already finished.

"Are you really alright?" hotaru asked mikan who is currently in backstage.

"Im fine, I just needed some time, Im tired, can we talk tomorrow?" she asked respectfully as she get off the car.

"If you say so,"

She gets off the car and silently said "im not fine at all,"

A tear fell and slowly gushed into her cheeks as she fell asleep.

**Meanwhile…**

"mikan…" natsume thought

**End of chapter 20**

* * *

**A/N: **five more weeks to go and I think this fic will be done. Im planning to wrap this up with 25 chapters so yea! Ahehehe.

Comments and suggestions are warmly welcome .

* * *

**Preview: chapter 21: watching from outside**

"**mikan, is that you?"**

"**why are you here, chiaki?"**

"**I see, you knew that I am not her all along, natsume,"**

"**I'll move on guys, don't worry,"**

* * *

**Thanks for reviewing my last chap!!**

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hellTiShy

akerue

minahoru

Dominiqueanne

Alrisce

Andheavenhell

PrInCeOfAlIcE

aNiMe pRiNcEsS24

SaraCullen

Novachipsalice

Mikaro

Cutenatsumexmikan

Hana no Uta

sakurapetal246

kyatoraina-chan

miyuki24

LaDy CoUnteRpart of NaTsume

Irumi Kanzaki

k0nek0

kairi-neko

Kimiko-Sakura


	22. watching from outside

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**Disclaimer: ****G****A mine? If it is, the first thing Im going to do is to kill Luna! **

**Ruin Princess** sorry for the long wait last time.guys, don't expect me to upload every now and then cause im now working on the fic's ending and im having a hard time writing it.please understand. And don't worry, that will be the last time that you guys will wait for 2 whole weeks. **May contain OOCness, cheesy words, corny statements..**

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**This chap is dedicated to: **Sarah Patrick, Natsume0Mikan, Animefreak-alexa, funny sakura, MaRsHmaLLoW-chan35, minahoru, aNiMe pRiNcEsS24, Cutenatsumexmikan and sakurapetal246.

**Previously:**

She gets off the car and silently said "Im not fine at all,"

A tear fell and slowly gushed into her cheeks as she fell asleep.

**Meanwhile…**

"mikan…" natsume thought

**End of chapter 20**

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**Chapter 21: watching from outside**

"**Moving on at the first wasn't that easy, but with the help of my friends, I can easily forget you,"**

"I told you don't leave me because Im coming back to you,"

She woke up from that phrase for the third time. She sat up as she placed her palm on top of her right eye. Ruffling her long auburn hair, she said, "I told myself that I'll live a new life, to move on and be happy, but every time I close my eyes, he's there, his face it keeps on reappearing in my dreams,"

She then glanced at a certain frame which holds one of her most important picture. She let out a long sigh and said, "What should I do now?"

**Meanwhile…**

The past three days felt like eternity for asae, ryana, hei, and especially natsume. The last three days for them was awkward, inaudible, or irascible. After mikan's voluntary eviction, no one ate together at the same time as they used before. They went on their separate ways. Natsume seldom eats. He too went back to his usual cold quiet self. Asae, ryana and hei still hangs out together while chikako, who always find s a way to cling into natsume, became meaner and meaner.

Mikan was wondering how her 'onee-san' came back to life. She's been positive that she's been dead this past year and a half so she decided to investigate. After she ate, she hurriedly went back to her room to take a bath. Minutes after she went out wearing a black Bermuda pants and lavender t shirt. Running to her departing father, she bluntly demanded for chikako's home address. His father gave it to her without any arguments, and with that she flea.

"This should be the right house," she said to herself while staring back and forth from the piece of paper that she's holding to the mansion like house that she's standing in front to.

She rang the bell twice and a lady around her mid 40's with brown hair just like hers came out.

"Good morning, Miss Misawa." She greeted while bowing.

"Good morning too, how may I help you young lady?" she asked while smiling at her.

"I need to ask you about something." She straight forwardly said. Hearing mikan's plead, her gentle facial expression changed to a quizzical, curious looking one.

"And who may you be again, young lady?"

"Oh. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier, Im mikan. Sakura mikan"

The surname rang into her head immediately upon hearing it. Smiling she widely opened the door and le the brunette in.

The living room was large and well lit. Miss Misawa gestured mikan to take a sit on a comfortable khaki colored couch. She then said with a smile "make yourself feel at home, I'll go get us some tea." With that she disappeared.

Mikan was left wondering at the living room. Her eyes scanning the whole area, a picture seems to caught her attention.

She stood up to approach the picture frame located at the top of a large tall oak table. She gave off a puzzled look as she saw the picture –two girls with the same height and the same dresses were standing side by side. One is smiling and one is not. Both girls have a long straight brunette hair like mikan's-

As she further more examined the picture, she then felt something uneasy. She lifted the frame up from its place and muttered, "why is it…" she wasn't able to finish her statement because before she knew it, Mrs. Misawa was standing behind her smiling.

"You look just like my two girls, especially chikako," she whispered.

"Ah, eto, two girls?"

"I had twins, chikako and Chiaki, and you three are siblings am I not right? Half siblings, if I remember it correctly." She smiled.

"How did you know?" mikan said to her, eyes wide, mouth opened.

"I knew everything, I was just waiting for your father to tell it to you, chikako also told me before that she found her little half sister, I mean before we moved away that is,"

Mikan stayed quiet for a while. She walked back to the couch, still holding the picture, she said "where is chiaki-onee-san?"

"Inside the mansion. I don't know why but after she heard about that contest, she quickly auditioned but unfortunately she lost and wasn't chosen but know, the thing that is bugging me is that why would she use her one-san's name."

"Did she tell you why she is joining?"

"If I recalled it correctly, she told me that she wants to avenge her sister because natsume immediately replaced another girl."

Mikan remained quiet as she concludes everything that she heard from Mrs. Misawa.

"So that means…." She stood up quickly. Bowed in front of the old lady and bid goodbye.

She was running as fast as she can, panting for air, beads of sweat running down her forehead. She knocked vigorously on a light brown painted door.

"Hotaru, hotaru," she called.

The door opened revealing a raven haired girl dressed in casual manner. Irritated she raised her brow and said, "What do you want?"

"We need to talk,"

Hotaru welcomed mikan inside of her condo unit, going straight to the kitchen, she asked, "coffee, water or tea?"

"Don't bother."

"If you say so then," she went back and sat across mikan who is now sitting on a bean bag.

"is this about the contest?" she bluntly asked.

She nodded her head and said, "chikako-ness-san, has a sister, a twin sister."

Hotaru didn't show any change in facial expression from the moment mikan arrived at her place up to now. She kept quiet and stared right into mikan's big adoring eyes and said "continue,"

"Chikako-nee-san really died, and the one who's at the contest right now is chiaki, my other half sister, chikako's twin,"

They remained quiet. for a second mikan thought that hotaru didn't get anything that she was talking about since she arrived but when's she's about to say something, hotaru said "what's your plan now?" calmly.

"all I can do for the mean time is to watch form the outside" she said "and oh, oba-chan, also told me that the reason she joined the contest was to avenge her sister's death,"

"So your plan is to just watch?" she asked.

Mikan nodded, stood up, and said, "That's the only thing I can do,"

**Meanwhile…**

"Why are you here, chiaki?" natsume said stoically while sitting comfortably on a small chair.

"I see. You knew that I am not her all along." Chikako said, smiling evilly to herself.

"When did you notice anyway?" she continued.

"The moment you came near me that night,"

"Oh, so that figures, then why didn't you expose my identity off?"

"I don't want mikan to be caught up with this revenge of yours. I need to protect her."

"But you didn't did you?" her words struck him therefore he simply didn't reply.

"Why are you here?"

"to avenge my sister's death of course," she confidently replied.

"This has nothing to do with mikan. What did you do to her?" his tone of voice rose.

"I didn't do anything. She was on my way, a hindrance and hindrances should be thrown off first,"

He stood up and faced her. Staring at her auburn eyes, he said "we're not yet done, not yet," with that he walked away.

**As for mikan….**

"is that you mikan?" a tall, fair skinned boy with blonde hair asked.

"Can you be…. Shuichi!!" she cried. She hugged him and whispered, "I miss you so much!"

"Me too. You're so beautiful. You didn't change one bit." He said with a gentle smile on his face as he broke the hug.

"When did you arrived?" she asked

"Yesterday," he smiled.

"Oh, I see, you should have called me! I can pick you up from the airport."

"Puss. Don't bother. At least I was able to see you. You see Im going back after a week or two."

"Oh, so you still live there? Hokkaido I mean?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, I see. Give my regards to auntie then, I'll be going now," she gave him a quick cheek kiss and was about to leave when shuichi caught her by the arm and said "can you hang out with me? At least for this day only?"

She hesitated at first but then said "okay!"

They roamed the whole city, shopping here and there. By the end of the day, they ended up eating dinner together.

"so, how are you today?" he started.

"Im fine. I just got eliminated from a contest so that's pretty much it,"

"Really? What contest is that? Is that the one every one's talking about? I think its.. "Search for the next hyuuga bride?""

She smiled at him and said "yeah"

"Oh I see. Do you have a boyfriend now?"

"Actually--,"

She wasn't able to process her statement because nonoko, anna, and hotaru saw her so the two girls called mikan; hotaru was following them from behind.

"Shuichi?" cried anna and nonoko.

"Hi guys! How are you?"

"Oh, it's that cry baby boy," teased hotaru.

"Your still mean huh?!" mocked shuichi to hotaru.

"Hmp."

They ordered their dinner. -courtesy of shuichi since hotaru blackmailed him- chit chat by some time and drink, but then their conversation in the end got into natsume.

"Can you move on, mikan?" a drunken nonoko asked.

"I'll move on guys, don't worry." She smiled.

Every one thought that she was drunk and was making stuff up but the tone f her voice and her facial expression proved them wrong.

"So she did have a boyfriend." Shuichi told himself.

Hotaru, who was not drunk told shuichi "she did, but they just broke up. And why did you say so? Are you planning to court her, huh, crying little boy?" she once more teased.

"Shut up!" he blushed.

Mikan and the gang went home around 9:45 pm. With hotaru driving, they remained silent.

"Natsume, he had hurt me so much that I always end up crying at night," a drunken mikan said

"Poor you then," a drunken anna said, while waving her arms.

Hotaru hearing what mikan said stared at her from the car mirror and plastered a concerned face.

**At the mansion…**

"I wasn't able to protect her. I wasn't able to protect mikan."

"Be a good boy and just follow my instructions natsume,"

"Bastard,"

"HN, because of you, my sister died, and after that your just going to replace her with someone as filthy as that mikan girl?"

She was upset on how natsume handle thins after chikako's death. She wasn't able to accept the fact that he immediately replaced her dead sister to somebody else.

"Stop talking like you knew what happened." He said to her stiffly as he made his way out, he opened the door and was about to exit his room but was shocked when he realized that chikako was kissing him. He hurriedly pushed her away, and said, "What the hell are you doing?"

"….."

He left his room, leaving chikako alone then she muttered "natsume" head down.

**End of chapter 21**

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**A/N: **okay. This was a short chappie. Anyway, shuichi shimizu was mikan's childhood friend and at the same time neighbor. They were close before but then his family decided to move out, leaving mikan alone. With shuichi there for mikan, and chikako kissing natsume**, **what will happen next?

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**Preview:**

"**And the winner for this contest is…."**

"**Mikan, will you…"**

"**We miss you so much"**

"**Im sorry but I--,"**

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**Thanks for the review!!**

Yingpurin

xXxdarkAnGeL lOveRxXx

SaraCullen

Peace Heaven

MaRsHmaLLoW-chan35

Vanillacottoncandy

flor-desu

suke367sahome

Sakura-hime246

Angelakawaii

syhlent rebel

k0nek0

'-MiNi-RAi-'

miyuki24

Kimiko-Sakura

funny sakura

Hazirah

Cutenatsumexmikan

MeIsWatIam

Fujiwara Yuri

Irumi Kanzaki

Princess FSFP

Hana no Uta

** .ruin princess. .**


	23. search for the next hyuuga bride

**Disclaimer: I do hope that GA is mine, but oh well; guess not everything can be your possession.**

**Ruin Princess**: three more chapters to go! Sorry, for the long wait! I was so busy with projects and stuff so yeah. thanks for reviewing my last chap!!

**Review **

**Review **

**Review!**

**Please! Or else I'll lose because my friend and I bet that I will receive at least 30 reviews, and if im wrong, she wont let me update for two weeks! Kya! **

**May contain OOCness, cheesy words, corny statements..**

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**This chap is dedicated to **lady counterpart of natsume,akerue, KMAC 08, HiKARi, '-MiNi-RAi-', IrumiKanzaki, kairi-neko, RainbowPrincess326, and xXxdarkAnGeL lOveRxXx

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**Previously:**

He left his room, leaving chikako alone then she muttered "natsume" head down.

**End of chapter 21**

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**Chapter 22: search for the next hyuuga bride**

"**These tears that Im crying every night won't be seen by you,"**

The next morning she woke up with a hurtful migraine. Moaning in pain, she said to herself, "What happened last night?"

She got up and went straight to the bath room. On her way there, she grabbed the remote and opened her 27 inch television. She then threw the remote back to her bed and entered the bath room. She took a short shower, went out the bathroom only wearing a piece of towel.

She changed into her clothes then went downstairs; she cooked her breakfast, then ate then went out.

She drove her newly bought car then went straight into hotaru's condominium.

She knocked so hard that when hotaru went out, she, for a second froze in terror as she saw hotaru, who just woke up glaring at her.

"Hotaru!" she cried. She then threw herself up to the cranky girl.

"Why are you here so early? You know that we all went home drunk right?" she said snobbishly while pushing the brunette girl away from her.

"What happened last night? I received a txt message from shuichi and it says, "Don't force yourself to forget that special person or you'll get hurt even more,"

Hotaru grin at herself let the brunette inside her condominium and said, "Why don't you ask shuichi yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

The raven haired girl then gestured mikan to look at the couch. There a tall, fair skinned boy with blonde hair and glassy looking eyes was sleeping peacefully.

"What?! He slept here?" she shouted.

"Isn't it obvious?" hotaru snapped back.

She then near herself to the sleeping boy then said, "He looks so defenseless when he's asleep." She then giggled. "Still looks like a small child," she continued.

The sleeping lad then turned and unexpectedly hugged the brunette so close to himself that mikan started blushing. Hotaru who was just watching immediately went upstairs to get her handy dandy video cam. Moments after she went down, filming the scene she said, "This will be good." She was hiding behind the couches, looking at her camcorder intently, her eyes widened as she saw what happened to the two.

The sleeping lad accidentally kissed the coffee hue haired girl. Her eyes was huge, her cheeks red in color.

Hotaru looked at them.

"we-wait..." hotaru heard mikan said.

She peaked to see what had happened and saw that she was struggling carefully to be free from the lad's arms.

Blushing, and at the same time gasping in relief she sat down un-lady like in front of the couch.

The raven haired girl then closed her camcorder and showed herself to the brunette. Mikan who didn't know what hotaru was doing called her best friend's name so loud that she accidentally woke shuichi.

Hotaru went straight to the kitchen. Preparing their lunch, she said to mikan, "you told me that you're fine. And I believed you but what you said in front of us last night made it clear to me that you're not ok."

Mikan was wondering what she is talking about so she decided to ask her, with arched eyebrows; she asked, "What do you mean I told you last night? We were drunk remember?"

"baka." she said plainly.

"You told us that that natsume guy makes you cry every night to sleep," shuichi said. He was listening to their conversation for a while now. Leaning against the kitchen wall, he smiled at mikan as he brushed his fingers against his blond hair.

"Im sorry. I woke you up." She said head down.

"That's fine,"

"Let's eat now, were going somewhere after this," hotaru bluntly said.

The three were eating quietly. Mikan was eating head down, shuichi was trying to start a conversation, while hotaru was looking from shuichi to mikan.

**Meanwhile…**

The remaining inhabitants of the mansion were busy preparing themselves for tonight's coronation night. Two nights ago, all of them were gathered to the living room and was told about tonight's coronation night. Both excited and pleased that the contest will end tonight, they giddily prepared themselves. All except for natsume who was sitting silently on his favorite spot, the infamous sakura tree.

He was watching the girls run back and froth, here to there, all of them were frantic on tonight's upcoming coronation night.

This night will be different from every other eviction night because natsume himself will be the one to pick the lucky girl. Who is, by the way have the **CHANCE** to marry natsume, and be a part of the Hyuuga household.

"We'll be able to see the girls later night!" said hei.

"Im thrilled!" said asae.

"yeah." agreed ryana.

**As for mikan…**

They just arrived at the mall.

The three of them then went from one store to another in search for the perfect night gown for tonight's coronation night.

Mikan who was just informed about the participation of the evicted girls came as a surprise to her. Without any money with her, she asked hotaru if she can just pay whatever dress she will be able to like but hotaru being hotaru said no to her own best friend.

"But hotaru..." she whined.

"You should have brought your own money."

"But I like this one," she said while holding out the night gown.

It was a black bubble dress, the dress itself was made of silk, but what made it beautiful is the black rough textured cloth layering it. it shone beautifully.

Mikan sighed in defeat a she knew that she can never convince hotaru. They left the store without bringing any of its paper bags.

Shuichi who saw how good mikan looked in that dress excused himself to the girls and went back to that store by himself. He quickly told the sales person that he will buy that black dress and that he wants it to be wrapped beautifully. Ten minutes passed and with that, he went out of the store carrying a medium sized brown paper bag with large white box in it.

Smiling to himself, he went back to mikan's company.

"You bought it for her, didn't you?" whispered hotaru in a teasing voice.

"So what? Mind your own business." He snobbishly said to hotaru.

"Hmp"

"where is she anyway?" he asked.

"there." The raven haired girl was pointing at an ice cream store.

"oh.."

The two sat quietly on a bench nearby, both waiting for mikan, shuichi asked, "Who is this natsume anyway?"

Hotaru hesitated for a while thinking that it might be clearer for him if he knew who natsume is she simply said "her past lover."

Shuichi didn't say anything moments after but then he continued interrogating the girl sitting beside him.

"What else? What kind of guy is he?"

She sighed. "Remember the boy that I've been telling you about? The one who courted mikan just because it is rumored that his dead fiancée and mikan looked alike? And the boy who I said was going to be in a contest because of the set up that ruka and I planned? That's him."

He said nothing after that. And he never asked a single question after that. He stood up, faced hotaru, and said, "Just give this to mikan. I'll go ahead of you guys," he smiled, left the bag next to hotaru, and fled. "I'll see you guys later," he shouted after running not so far away from hotaru.

"Baka."

"How can I say it to her now?" he said to himself as he fled.

**Later that night (final night)**

Dusk ended quietly. Mikan who was dressed for tonight's coronation night just arrived at the reception area. The girls who were evicted earlier were present too. Smiling and chit chatting she greeted them all. They were all happy to see each other, others were hugging each other, some where smiling and saying "I miss you, how are you?" while some just stood there. Waiting for the moon to rise and the final night to begin.

"Mikan…" shuichi called. He just arrived with anna and nonoko.

"hey." Was all she said.

"You look beautiful mikan!" the two girls complimented. Shuichi looked at her after hearing the compliment. She looked beautiful indeed.

Her fair colored skin suit the shiny black dress that he bought for her.

He smiled to himself.

His thought was interrupted when mikan came up to him, smiled, and said, "You bought this dress right? Thank you!" she then hugged him.

He was silent.

Blushing and smiling at her at the same time, he broke the hug as quickly as possible.

"the night is still young mikan, be careful okay?!" said ruka who just arrived with hotaru. Hotaru and ruka will be emceeing the final event for tonight.

Both of them were wearing formal clothes which made them look fancier and more elegant. They looked good together.

"Guys!" mikan said.

"You look good tonight, the tow of you I mean," she smiled.

"You look good yourself, and you too, shuichi." Hotaru said.

"Thanks!"

The PA then announced something.

"The event will start at 8:30 pm so get yourself ready, because natsume himself will choose the girl that will win tonight's contest,"

Mikan was silent after that, hearing natsume's name made her depressed but after sometime it all disappeared after she joined her friends' company (girls from the contest)  
"are you mikan's boyfriend?" asked yuuki who was having a good time with mikan, shuichi, and the others.

"Uhm, no. Im just her childhood friend. Right mikan?" he smiled.

"Yup!" she said.

**Inside the mansion…**

"Good luck to us!!" the three girls shouted.

"Can you stop acting like kids?" snapped chikako.

"We're not talking to you. So can you stop talking to us?" snapped ryana back.

"HN."

"Bleh!" hei childishly said.

"All of the girls will be outside later right?" asae said.

"Yes! We can see each other again!"

"And I was so sure that mikan will win this contest," sighed hei.

No one said a word after that. They were silent. All dressed in different gowns and dresses they sat together, waiting for the announcement.

**As for natsume…**

He was inside his room preparing himself. He was wearing a black and well ironed tuxedo, his hair still sleek and ruffled looking. He was standing in front of the mirror looking at his self.

"Im going back to.." he didn't finish his sentence, he turned around and walked back to his bed.

He threw himself facing up and let out a heavy and exasperated sigh, "mikan." he called. His eyes covered by his arms.

"I'll come and look for you, and then I'll you everything," he said.

"Natsume?" asae called in front of his door. She was knocking for a while now, but he just noticed it now.

"The event's about to start, you need to go down. In 5 minutes will be out of here." She continued..

Her voice was mild and low.

As he observes her footsteps getting farther and farther, he too walked out from his room.

**Outside….**

**8:30pm. **The viewers who came early to have a sit and watch the event were waiting patiently. Clapping, chit chatting, and loud excited crowds fill the dome in which natsume and the four girls will be present.

A high stage was set up in front of them. Blue and red curtains covered the backstage. Then a large beige sofa was up there for the girls to sit in. a separate chair was prepared for natsume and standing next to natsume's chair is a tall narrow table with a silver tray on top. Resting on the tray was a bouquet of red roses in which natsume will give to the lucky girl later.

14 mono block chairs where also set up. The chairs are for the girls that were evicted earlier. They were all invited for tonight's grand event.

No people were asked to vote.

No one.

Except natsume who will decide for himself.

Camera flashing and other media personnel crowded the place swooning on every corner of the dome they prepared themselves.

The lights which were making the dome bright suddenly went out. Gasps and excited cheering filled the dome for they know that the event will now start.

The lights went back on, revealing the fourteen evicted girls, the four remaining girls and natsume himself.

They eyes met. Mikan and natsume. but mikan who was already feeling uncomfortable looked on the other way.

"is he natsume?" shuichi asked to hotaru who was at the moment peaking behind the curtains.

"yes."

"woohoo!!"

"mikan!!"

"ryana!"

"asae!"

"hei!"

"chikako!!"

"natsume!!"

Lively and excited roars of cheering were heard all over the dome the moment they saw all of them standing before them.

"Ladies and gentleman, let us present you, the participants of the contest search for the next hyuuga bride," ruka and hotaru said in unison.

"Wow!!"

"Sugoi!"

"Go go go!!"

The cheering went on and the final event started.

Since this is different from usual, every girl got a chance to be asked by the audience the clapping and cheering continued but all of the noise disappeared when a tall girl with fair skin and black hair asked mikan "what is you real reason for going out from the mansion?"

She remained silent for a while. She looked down, left to right then looked down. Her friends which were sitting around her begun to worry but they all remained quiet, waiting for the brunette's answer.

She looked up with confidence, smiled and said "because Im too hurt." she plainly stated it as if she's only being asked what her favorite color is.

The girl who questioned her looked at her, bewildered by mikan's reply. She smiled at her, looked, and asked, "Can we know why?"

Mikan did what she did moments ago. Looking up again, she replied, "I just can't stand it. Me being hurt everyday, I had enough if I stayed there too long, I'll end up being more miserable than Im already am."

The girl said her "thank you" before sitting and the questioning continues. Many were puzzled about mikan's replied so from that moment on, she was flooded by question about her personal life, her comments about her looking like chikako and her past relationship with natsume which made the audience and several people irritated, and worried at the same time.

After the long and tiring interview, the final event which is the choosing of the winner begun. Natsume and the four remaining girls remained on the stage, while the others were asked to go down.

The big revolving bulbs of light were then focused on natsume himself. He got up from his sit, grabbed the rose that was laid on top of the silver tray then approached the four standing girls.

What natsume did was he first approached the girls whom he doesn't like to be his bride and kisses them on the cheek. He first went to ryana, kissed her cheek and said "thanks" in a whisper but what ryana said was "you shouldn't have hurt her that much," she was glaring at him as they part ways.

Next was asae and hei who said the same thing but different point of view.

Asae saying, "you've done enough", and hei saying "you shouldn't have,"

After that, knowing that the only girl whom he didn't kiss was chikako, he walked right to herm gave her the bouquet of flowers, kissed her in the cheek and said, "You're the winner," in a low voice.

Chikako and natsume fans roared in happiness as they see their favorite and most adored pair standing in front of them, totally in love.

"So you do love me," she whispered and smiled.

Mikan who saw everything stared at them. For the second time their eyes met and she looked away. She looked down, her attention to the ground. She then walked away.

Shuichi who was near by saw mikan ran after her.

She ran to an isolated room, far away from natsume and the others. She heard a knock, and asked who it was.

"It's me mikan." shuichi said.

She didn't reply or anything. He entered the room as silently as possible and sat next to mikan.

He then said "you know what, I like this girl but it seems that she doesn't like me, or I should say she likes someone else." he was looking at the ceiling avoiding mikan's questioning eyes.

"Who is she? You're so nice. It's impossible for a girl not to like you." She smiled faintly.

He looked at her, grabbed her left hand, and said, "Let me hold you for a while. Your hand will be fine."

She didn't say anything, they remained like that for a while, but it then changed when mikan rested her head to his shoulder. With that she said "Im so tired of being hurt,"

"You must be." He plainly said.

"When are you going back to your place?" she randomly asked.

"Tomorrow."

"But-,"

"Can you see me off tomorrow?"

She raised her head, smiled at him and said "of course!"

"There you are! You smiled!"

"…"

"Let's go?" he gave his hand as support and helped her stand up, and then they walked out of the room.

As they went back to the stage, they saw many reporters and media men crowding the couple to be. She smiled faintly as she held on tighter to shuichi's hand but what she doesn't know is that natsume's looking at her.

"Who is he?!"

"Mikan!!" cried the three girls.

"Asae! Ryana! Hei!" she ran to them and hugged them.

"I miss you guys so much!"

"We miss you too! That chikako.. She's so omg! I want to kill her!" said asae who was throwing dirty looks at chikako.

"guys, I want you to meet shuichi, my childhood friend."

"shuichi, my friends, asae, ryana and hei."

They said they hi's to each other and continue chit chatting.

The night passed quickly. The crew members who were setting the stage back to it's place just finished their work, and as for the girls, they one by one got home. All exhausted and worn out.

But as for mikan….

"mikan." called natsume.

She stared at the owner of the voice knowing that she knows him well. Without turning back, she asked, "Why are you here?"

"I found you." Was all he said. He went closer to her and touched her arm but she jerked it away.

"Don't touch me!" she cried, "I had enough!"

"Did I hurt you that bad? That seeing me makes you this hurt?"

"…"

"Okay then." Disappointed and heart broken, He left.

"Natsume."

"Mikan! It's time to go! We still need to wake up early for tomorrow!" hotaru called.

"Hai!"

**The next morning.. (Shuichi's departure)**

"Take care, shuichi, and thanks!" mikan said lively as she sees her friend off.

"I will and you're welcome." He smiled.

"Oi hotaru," he called causing hotaru to glare.

"What?!" she said irritably.

"look after her okay?!" he said.

"You don't need to tell me that."

"HN."

"Oh mikan, I need to tell you something, can I talk to you for a minute?"

She smiled, took his hand, and dragged him off.

"What is it?" she smiled.

"The girl that I like..."

"Who is she?" she asked giddily.

He leaned closer to her, his lips near her ears, he whispered "its you." With that, he ran off and said "bye!" not long after. Then he disappeared.

She went back to hotaru shocked and at the same time smiling.

"What did he tell you?"

"Nothing," she smiled.

"Thanks shuichi for making me feel special." She said to himself.

"baka." hotaru said as she for the last time glanced at the large glass window of the airport.

**End of chapter 22**

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**a/n: **sorry for the crappy chapter!

bows  
please review or else I'll lose!!  
no!!  
cries

Three more chapters!!

* * *

**Preview:**

"why are you here?"

"I know everything."

"what do you mean?"

**.ruin chan.**


	24. we meet again

**Disclaimer: **I do hope that GA is mine, but oh well; guess not everything can be your possession.

**May**** contain OOCness, cheesy words, corny statements..**

* * *

**Previously:**

"Thanks shuichi for making me feel special." She said to himself.

"baka." hotaru said as she for the last time glanced at the large glass window of the airport.

**End of chapter 22**

* * *

**Chapter 23: we meet again**

"**We need to clear things up before we can be together again"**

**Continuing from the last chapter…**

After mikan and hotaru see shuichi off, they both went home and rest but before that mikan asked a small favor from hotaru.

"Can you drop me off to the cemetery? I'll visit onee-chan."

Hotaru didn't say anything; instead, she smiled and just gave off a simple "hn."

They stopped at a flower shop to get a bouquet of pink hydrangeas then set off to the cemetery.

The thirty minute trip from the flower shop to the cemetery was silent.

The two girls didn't say a word to each other until they arrived.

"Want me to accompany you?"

She smiled, faced hotaru hugged her and said, "Thanks for everything. Im good from here." Then she broke her hug.

"Baka."

"Don't pick me up later okay? I'll just go home by myself." Was her last favor then gone off walking inside the cemetery.

She eyed her best friend as she walked farther and farther until her figure was eaten up by the cemetery, she then went to her car and went off.

She continued walking and walking until she stopped in front of a new looking grave stone with "chikako misawa," carved in it.

She smiled, bent down to give lay the flowers in front of the grave stone, and stood up again. As if talking to a real living person, she stated, "Many things happened this year,"

"I joined this contest, ruka was hoping that I can change natsume, and I too expected that he'll be more open. He misses you a lot I can tell that."

She stopped for a while.

"We became a couple but that didn't last for long. Our sister, chiaki came into the picture and ruined everything," she started crying unnoticeably.

"We broke up, weeks ago. I did love him, but I think he did that because he has his reasons."

She then felt something warm that is rolling down her cheeks. She then touched her cheeks and said, "Why am I crying?" in a happy yet nervous tone.

What she doesn't know was that natsume was there. He too came to visit chikako's grave. Seeing mikan there, he decided to go right through there and see her.

He stood next to her, bent over to lay the bouquet of roses that he bought and stood up again.

"Why are you here?" she said while wiping off her tears.

"I know everything." He said.

"What do you mean?"  
"You're chikako's half sister right? And chiaki's half sister too."

"What do you mean?" her face became pale.

"I knew everything. The moment I saw this," eh then gave her pouch that went missing after their trip before.

"How did you...?"

"You dropped it, and I saw it, I opened it and discover the picture.."

"…"

"So you did love me because I look like her!" she cried.

"No. that's not It." he plainly said.

"I don't understand you. Why don't you just be honest? Even for this moment only?"

"I did love you but I broke up with you simply because I don't want chiaki to hurt you."

"You should have told me! Chiaki you say? When did you know?"

"The moment I saw her. I knew everything. Chikako having a twin and a half sister, and chiaki studying overseas."

"…"

She didn't say a word after that. She bowed in front of chikako's grave stone and walked out. he ran after her and caught her arm then he said," why are you making things hard huh?!" he asked.

He was angry.

"I didn't intent to make them hard for us. You're the one who's making things hard." she shot back.

"Why don't we just start over again?"

"It's not that easy natsume. It's not that easy to heal deep wounds."

"…"

She jerked his hold to her arm then continued walking away but then natsume ran after her again and hugged her from behind. Eh then whispered.

"Please give me another chance."

"I don't know natsume. I don't know."

"There's nothing going on with me and chiaki." He said.

"I just picked her because if not, she told me that she'll make you suffer, but me picking her in front of millions of people doesn't mean anything."

"…"

"I had enough. Im tired right now, so let me rest first, I need to go home. I'll just talk to you later."

She walked off, leaving natsume inside the cemetery.

"Oi!" his voice was cold and harsh. She turned her back to see what happened, after that, she was shocked.

"What are you-,"

He kissed her roughly and possessively. He smiled to himself as he enjoys himself on watching mikan's shock expression.

Her eyes were large, cheeks reddening.

"Got her.," he thought.

He caught her off guard and started deepening the kiss.

Seductively, he licked her lower lip for entrance which she allowed. They continued kissing, deeper and deeper they went, tongues intertwined, thy broke the kiss after a minute or so.

"You per-,!" she was about to slap him when he caught her arm and whispered "you liked It didn't you? Why don't we continue it somewhere else?"

She blushed deeply as she forbids herself to meet his tantalizing stare.

"Pervert!"

He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her away from the cemetery.

"Thanks, chikako-chan," they both thought.

Once again, they were united by chikako. Now, the only thing that they need to arrange is their relationship, and chiaki.

"Where are you gonna bring me you pervert?"

"Just shut up."

She was looking at his hands. Hands which are currently holding hers. She blushed again. Her heart was thumping like there's no tomorrow. Her mind was blank and she can't think straight.

"natsume." she thought as she eyed the raven haired boy that was dragging her.

He pushed her inside his car in which she didn't utter a single complaint. He then rode his car himself and drove off going to the mall.

The care trip was silent and awkward, after what he did a while ago, she cannot stop herself from thinking of him in which he enjoyed watching.

"She's thinking about me," he mocked himself

"I can't stop myself form thinking about him," she thought while glancing at him every once in a while.

He surreptitiously touched her hand, she blushed, looked at him, and then turned away.

Then she said, "what are you doing?" she was nervous.

"Isn't this what NORMAL couples do? Hold hands?"

"But we're not a couple..." she replied, still looking away.

"NOT YET" he then smirked fearlessly.

* * *

**(a/n: Im going to use CHIAKI"S name now okay? So I won't confuse you guys)**

* * *

News about chiaki and natsume's engagement spread around the whole city. Even mikan heard it the moment she went home but all of it doesn't matter anymore because she's confident that natsume loves her not because of her relationship with chikako but because of her 'true self' and with that, she's contented with her life.

She for the hundredth time glanced at natsume who was still at this very moment driving. Thinking about chiaki, she asked "what about you and chiaki?"

He, for the second time smirked fearlessly and said, "There's nothing going on between us,"

She smiled. A genuine one.

* * *

**(A/n: WARNING: OOC AHEAD) **

* * *

"We're here." The car stopped in front of familiar looking mall.

She stared at him for a while and said in a gleeful voice, "this is where we had our first date." She the paused. "No, never mind, it wasn't a date because we're not a couple yet back then."

"But now we are." He smiled at her.

They entered the mall. They went on every store that they went in before. She shopped like there's no tomorrow. They watched a movie entitled "my childhood friend loves me," and ate dinner.

"I had a great time. Thanks hyuuga-kun," she smiled.

They are now eating at the restaurant that they ate at before she joined the contest.

"Hyuuga-kun?" he raised a brow at her.

"Huh?"

"Who told you to call me that? I told you to call me the way you called me before right?" his mood changed. He became so snobby.

She stood up, walked up to him and hugged him.

"hee-hee." She giggled.

"What?!" he was acting like a child who wasn't able to get what he wants.

"Sorry, Nat." the way she whispered his name was so seductive that he was so turned on by her.

"You're turning me on. Get off me before I loss control of myself," he warned.

"Getting horny now are we?" she teased.

"HN."

"Hahahaha" she laughed out loud.

"Shut up," he looked away.

What he said was right. The way she whispered his name on his ear was so seducing that he suddenly wasn't able to get a hold of himself.

She continued teasing him until he wasn't able to get a hold of himself. She grabbed her by the neck and kissed her. Now, gentler and sweeter.

For the second time his tongue begged for entrance, and she gladly let him in. savoring the sweetness of her mouth, he smirked, she on the other hand, let out a sexy moan.

She was trying her best to be freed from his hands. Succeeded, she spanked his chest and said teasingly "don't be so horny you bastard! We're in a restaurant for Pete's sake." She was blushing madly.

"That's for not shutting up," he grinned.

"HN."

They had a good time, walking out from the restaurant, they spotted someone who they both didn't expect to be here.

"chiaki." They both said in unison.

There she was, the winner of the so called "search for the next hyuuga bride"

Wearing a black dress, with white purse, she stood there, as if waiting for someone.

They both hide to see whom she was waiting for. Shocked, they saw luna approaching chiaki.

They both have tea.

"How are we now?" smirked Luna.

Chiaki smiled at her, not a warm one, but rather a dark one.

"Fine. Our plans, it was a success. They broke up right in front of my eyes, she wasn't able to win because I made her suffer and natsume is all mine."

After hearing this, Luna smiled at her with pleasure.

"That's terrific!"

"I know. All we need to do now is to let natsume see my "good" side so that he'll marry me then, I'll give you your share of money.

"What are they talking about?" they both thought.

They moved closer to the talking figures, mikan tip toeing, and natsume keeping his normal poise, they eavesdropped.

They heard everything loud and clear. Mikan was upset, natsume, angered.

Natsume who at this very moment cannot control himself showed himself into the two girls, astonished, they didn't utter a word.

Chiaki stood up and welcomed him, praying that he didn't hear a word that they were talking about for the past time.

"Natsume, honey what brings you here?" she smiled sheepishly.

Mikan who was aware of what was happening went out from her hiding place and stood behind natsume.

"Why are you with her?" she was angered by just seeing mikan.

"Why do you care?" he snapped back. Mikan hold on tightly at his shirt, wrinkling it in the process.

"Chiaki let me explain." Mikan said in a low voice.

"How dare you call me chiaki? We're not even related!" she lifted her arm, gesturing that any minute that arm of hers will hit mikan's cheek but natsume caught it in time.

"Don't deny it chiaki, you know that your half sisters along with chikako that is" his voice was icily cold.

Her expression changed rapidly. She gawked at them and didn't say anything, she dragged Luna with her and disappeared.

"What are you going to do now?" the brunette asked. His lips formed a little smirk. She was confused.

"Oi!" she called again.

"What?!"

"What are you going to do now!" she half shouted.

"You'll see..."

He dragged her outside to the parking lot then pushed her inside the car. He ran to the other side of the car and entered.

Both of them didn't do anything for almost a minute, bored, mikan leaned to his broad shoulders and sighed.

"What now?" she said in a whisper.

He didn't say anything. Head looking up, he checked up on her.

He slowly lean closer to her sleeping face, closer and closer he went she didn't notice.

Her eyes suddenly flicked open after realizing that he was kissing her from lips to neck. For the first time, he gave her a hickey making her dizzy and confused. Wishing that the 'hickey part' wasn't true, she bit his lower lip making him stop and groan in pain.

He narrowed his eyes at her he resumed on kissing her. her mouth which was strawberry in flavor was his favorite spot, his ear lobe tat he keeps on nibbling and her neck which gave her the tickle were all kissed by his luscious lips. His long slender fingers were running against her long brunette hair. His other hand touching every part of her tall, petite frame.

He got a hold of himself.

He suddenly stopped kissing her. The first two buttons of her blouse already unbutton, he stopped.

She looked at him quizzically, smiling she gave him a quick peck in the lips.

"Hee hee" she was giggling like a five year old.

"HN."

"When did you have control over yourself?" she teased.

"Don't worry. When you become COMPLETELY mine, then I'll make you regret saying that I have SELF-CONTROL." He grinned.

"Oh really."

After their short "make out" session, he started his car's engine and drove off.

The trip was only fifteen minutes but it felt like eternity for the two of them. Not uttering a word, they arrived at their destination.

His engine died in front of mikan sakura's house. The seat belt lock clicked indicating that it's now open. He opened his car's door, got off and ran to the other side. Mikan on the other hand was struggling to get her seat belt off. He opened the door and said, "We're here."

She looked up almost teary eyed and said "I know but the seatbelt's stuck"

"baka." He said as he leaned closer to her, bent and unlocked the seatbelt himself. 'Click' the lock sounded. She smiled sheepishly and laughed.

"What stuck are you talking about?" he was a bit snobbish on how he said that to her, making her pout.

"…"

He tried holding her hand but was futile because she was snobbing him. Looking away, he swiftly grabbed her by her arm, made her face him, and kissed her hastily.

Blushing and at the same time smiling, she broke the kiss and said "Im still not going to forgive you." She ended it with a short "hmp,"

"Then don't" he walked back to his car leaving the coffee hue haired girl standing in front of her house's gate.

She called his name twice but didn't looked back, convinced that he was angry, she ran and hugged him from the back.

"Im sorry!" she cried.

Breaking the hug, he said "baby," teasingly.

He bent down. His nose leveling her eyes, cheeks touching her whispered something to ear so shocking that her heart started thumping, blood rising to her pale cheeks and eyes widened.

She smacked his chest playfully, kiss him goodnight and ran back to her house.

He eyed her as she went inside her house, smiling to himself, he said "baka"

She closed the gates behind her leaned on it and whispered what natsume whispered to her before. "Why don't we get married now?" she blushed again, and giggled like a little child then she said to herself "that jerk."

**End of chapter 23**

* * *

**a/n: Yosh! I won the bet by having 30 reviews! Thanks to those who reviewed my fic! Two more chapters to go. **

**REVIEW  
REVIEW  
REVIEW**

* * *

**Chapter 24: our relationship**

**Preview:**

"**shuichi?"**

"**darn that girl!"**

"**why are you here?!"**

* * *

**Thanks again for reviewing my fic! **


	25. our relationship

**Disclaimer: **I do hope that GA is mine, but oh well; guess not everything can be your possession.

**May**** contain OOCness, cheesy words, corny statements..**

* * *

**Previously:**

She closed the gates behind her leaned on it and whispered what natsume whispered to her before. "Why don't we get married now?" she blushed again, and giggled like a little child then she said to herself "that's jerk."

**End of chapter 23**

* * *

**Chapter 24: our relationship**

"**When you can live forever, what do you live for?"**

The very next day went smooth for her, to her surprise, the moment she woke up made her shocked and speechless. Natsume was sitting on her bed, by her side. Caressing her long auburn locks. She blushed and pretended to go back to sleep but it was too late for her since natsume already kissed her "good morning." Her eyes were both wide, her cheeks, early in the morning, is already red in color. She groaned after being kissed by her "suitor," natsume.

She smiled as she got up. Hugging him and greeting him, good morning was new for her.

"What brings you here?" she asked in a calm voice as she went to the bathroom to wash her face and to brush her teeth.

"Auntie, thought that you're already awake, so when I got here, she just told me to just go upstairs," he was smirking fearlessly as he explained it to her.

She was listening to his explanation while she was doing her morning routine, she went out the bathroom looking all refreshed.

"So what do you want to do now?" she regretted what she asked him because he quickly grabbed her by the arm causing her to sit by his lap, she met his dazzling gaze and immediately looked away, noticing this, he made her looked at him, and smirked.

He gently touched the wet ends of her long auburn hair. Her heart was racing, her breathing was quickening, and her body was stiff, she wasn't able to do anything. He gently laid her down on her pastel covered bed and caged her. Her silky hair was scattered, turning him on more, she was smiling nervously while studying his facial features. His striking face, his fierce looking burgundy eyes, and his coal colored hair that is always sleek, and scruffy. His voice was husky but has a tinge of gentleness when talking to her, and his long slender fingers which he always uses to touch her. She never realized herself that the person who was stranding before her eyes really do look goods and does love her. She smiled contentedly.

He intertwined his fingers with hers, and then stretched out her arm to give some more room for them. He leaned closer to her, and whispered seductively in her ears "you asked me what I want right?" he then blew his short mint scented breath in to her ear, sending out tingling sensation to her whole body then continued "I-want-you," he syllabicated every word, emphasizing the word "want and you."

He bent closer to me, his delicious looking lips almost brushing mine, he was about to kiss me when suddenly, "mikan, natsume-honey! Time for lunch,"

**Mikan's POV**

Natsume slowly rose from his caging position, he stared at me, irritated and agitated the same time. His gentle looking eyes a while ago that were piercing though me were now cold and dark looking. I giggled nervously.

"Saved by the bell," I whispered as I rose from my bed. I combed my semi wet hair, and tied it on a neat ponytail.

I looked at him smiling but he ignored me, I stood up, walking to the door when he suddenly wrapped his arms around me, pulled me closer to his granite feeling chest, and whispered "you should be thankful," in a sexy tone of voice.

I looked at him and jerked his arms, I faced him and whispered something in a teasingly, seductive way "Im not thankful at all, she shouldn't have called us,"

I saw his expression changed, from his angered and agitated look to his flustered looking one. Seconds after he regained his composure and smirked. He was nearing his face to mine and for the first time since we've been together, I didn't looked away nor closed my eyes. I stared him directly and with confidence.

I thought that he was going to kiss me but it seems that his control got over him and submitted. I can't stop myself from not pitying him, so I pulled his swiftly from his collar and kissed him. It was a gentle and swift kiss I just brushed my lips to his and thank god that he didn't deepened it more.

I broke it moments after, now looking satisfied (for the mean time), we went out from my room, holding hands.

**End of POV  
**

After they ate lunch, she had a quick shower, and went out with natsume. Both dressing casually, they went to the mall just as promised, then to the park, since mikan wants to and then to the movies. What interested natsume was that the movie that they were watching was horror, making mikan cling into his arms the whole screening of the movie. She was holding his warm hand the whole time since every now and then a corpse will appear just to scare the guts out of her.

She was half crying the moment the movie was finished. They went out from the movie house quietly. Mikan was still clinging into his arms, while natsume on the other hand was wrapping his other arm to her diminutive waist, pulling her closer to him.

"You did that on purpose," she whined, her eyes, watery.

"…"

"Hmp!" she imposed that pouting face of hers which made natsume guilty. He pulled her closer to him and near his lips to her ears, with a fraction of a second; he bit her ear making her squeak.

"What was that for idiot?!" she said, teary eyed.

"HN."

He walked ahead of her. She was running after him, when he bumped into someone. She fell down on her butt, and groaned in pain. The one who bumped into her bent and looked down, holding out a hand for her.

"Are you alright?" his voice was familiar and warm. She reached out for his hand and immediately felt his warm and comforting hand. She looked up and met his eyes, wide eyed, she smiled and said "shuichi?" in a whispered and immutable tone.

Natsume was looking at them, his eyebrows both arched he went closer to mikan and pulled her into him, closely.

He met shuichi's gaze and glared, shuichi in the other hand didn't put much attention into him.

"Why are you here?" mikan asked, breaking the awkward and ominous aura.

"I just came back, Im staying here for at least a month, mom asked me to arrange some paperwork for her," his smile was so sweet and prince charming liked that mikan ended up smiling at him naively.

Natsume hold on mikan's petite waist, she looked at him quizzically.

"Who is he?" shuichi asked innocently although he already knew who exactly was he.

"Oh, sorry," she smiled and gestured, "This is natsume hyuuga, my friend."

Shuichi smiled semi pleased to hear the term "my friend," natsume on the other hand became irritated after hearing it.

"Oh, Im shuichi. Shuichi Shimizu, mikan's childhood friend" he greeted, emphasizing the word "childhood friend"

His last string of patience seemed to snapped, trying to control his patience for a little more for mikan, he simply said nothing but shuichi, who seems to be enjoying himself said "so you're the one who hurt mikan?" he was still smiling.

Natsume twitched, and shake his hand, "that's me, so you it seems that you're the one hotaru's been telling me about, the guy that confessed but was turned down by **MY** mikan?" he smiled sarcastically.

"Yeah, yeah,"

The aura was murderous between them, mikan who wasn't with them the whole time was already eating.

She was smiling like an innocent child while observing the two men from afar.

"Guys!" she called them while smiling. They broke their menacing glares at each other and went near her.

They had a not good time, for mikan that is. Hell was about to break loose with them glaring and cursing under their low breath, and of course they need to make sure that the brunette which was seated in between them wont hear a thing.

Shuichi insisted on bringing mikan home since he was planning to go there but natsume was being stubborn on not letting his eyes off of his sweetheart in the end they just decided to go to mikan's house in two separate cars. Shuichi's car and natsume's car.

They went out from the mall and crossed the street. Mikan was holding hands with natsume. While shuichi was walking ahead of them.

Mikan then stopped In the middle of the pedestrian line. Her cell phone was ringing so she dug deep inside her of her bag in look for her cell phone. She hand unconsciously slipped through natsume's hold making him walk ahead of her. The traffic light turned green and mikan who just saw her cell phone wasn't award of that.

A truck was coming out for her. Moreover, when she saw it coming it was too late. She closed her eyes and waited for the truck to come and hit her but it never did. Instead, she felt someone pushing her out of the way. She opened her eyes, facing the fear that she was afraid of. She saw a rust and salt scented liquid to her hands, to her clothes and around her.

**BLOOD.**

She lifter her hand and watched at it with such empty and darkening iris. Natsume was lying down, near her. His hands were clenched with hers.

He was bleeding. His head has a large wound in it and his arms and legs were bruised.

Shuichi ran back to them, shocked to see that natsume was bleeding.

He went near them and instructed mikan to stay near him.

She called an ambulance. She was holding natsume's hand tightly. Not wanting to let him go.

"Natsume ... don't" she hesitated and cried louder "don't leave me please!"

He heard her voice and opened his eyes.

He was smiling as if nothing happened and said "at least," he was breathing hard "you're safe…"

After that, he closed his eyes and lost conscious.

"Natsume!' she cried louder.

The truck that hit natsume ran away.

Two solid minutes after, the ambulance arrived. They took natsume and laid him on a stretcher. They put a neck brace around his swelled up neck took him away. Mikan insisted on coming with them since she's already natsume fiancée. They went away leaving shuichi who then decided to follow them through car.

They trip going to the hospital was intense, will wrecking, and heavy in atmosphere.

Mikan has her hands clenched with natsume who was currently unconscious. Several beeping instruments were attached at him. The aids that are doing their best to help natsume were in a frantic mood.

"Is he going to be alright?" she was choking while asking that. Her voice was edgy.

A girl aid who was attending natsume's non stop bleeding wounds looked at her with apologetically and pitiful eyes and said "we're not sure yet miss, he's loosing a lot of blood,"

Her face became paler after that. She continued crying.

They arrived at the hospital. They immediately took him to the operation room leaving mikan alone on the hospital's hallway.

She was staring blankly into space then someone called her. It was shuichi. He rushed and sat next to her. Pulling her closer to his bare chest. That was the only thing he can do now. Comfort her now that she's in need.

Hotaru along with ruka also came moments after. Mikan kept on blaming herself for what had happened.

Chiaki also went there not to sympathize for natsume's accident but just to slapped mikan telling her that it was her FAULT that he's experiencing a near death experience now. After saying those harsh and heart breaking words, she left.

The operation lasted for three longs hours. Hotaru was sitting next to her best friend, stroking her stiff and cold back while mikan on the other hand cried her eyes out.

"It's my fault hotaru, it's my fault. What if he leaves me? What if-." She was in a hurry. Her voice screamed for forgiveness even though it as clearly an accident.

The doctor went out form the operating room. He informed them that he was fine and it was a good thing that he was rushed to the hospital immediately because if not he could have died of severe blood loss.

Mikan stood up although her legs were wobbly and weak from fear. She hugged hotaru tightly and cried "thank goodness!"

Minutes after natsume followed. He was wearing a white gown unconscious. On his left hand was a small needle connecting a bottle of what looks like purified water.

The nurses who were pushing his bed stopped in sight of mikan and her friends and said that he will be placed in ICU since he still needs to be observed for a few more days, or maybe weeks depending on how fast his recovery was.

They followed him to his room. Mikan automatically sat next to him. On his bed side gripping his free, hand tight. Since the hospital section only allowed one visitor through out the night, mikan insisted to let hotaru and the other go home and rest.

She apologized for the inconvenience and sat next to natsume's bed again.

The two boys went out first then hotaru but before she fully went out, she went back and hugged mikan saying, "Everything will be alright. Just trust him. We all know that he wont just leave you like that," her voice was calm and serene.

Mikan hugged her back closely and muttered a low "thanks."

With that, she broke the hug and bid farewell to her best friend.

She thought that they left already but ten minutes after they went back with a small plastic bag in their hands.

"Here's you food." Ruka said while smiling.

"Call us if you need something," shuichi said while rubbing his hand onto hers.

She smiled back.

"I'll bring you some clothes tomorrow," hotaru said.

After that, they went out and went straight to their own houses.

She sat there. Staring at his childish features while he was sleeping. He looks like a small child who just calmed down from his tantrums.

His hair was messy and his face has scratches. His arms and legs were still bruised.

She half stood up and leaned giving him a kiss.

She whispered "Im sorry" to his ear praying that after hearing that his fierce ruby orbs will open, but much to her dismay, nothing happened.

She was praying the whole night. Praying that this is all a nightmare, that even if this is a nightmare he'll recover fast.

She sat back to her sit stiff and silent. The beeping of the hospital machines and his breathing were the only audible sound around the room. She was crying again while reciting the Hail Mary for the fifth time.

"Im sorry. Please don't leave me," was her last statement.

She finished praying the rosary and fell asleep.

Her hands still intertwined with his fingers.

**End of chapter 24**

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**a/n: **one more chapter!

**Please read my new fic "MY CHILDHOOD FRIEND LOVES ME"**

I also want to thank all of my reviewers for last chapter's review!!

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**Preview:**

**Last chapter: my life with you**

"**Thank goodness!'**

"**Im sorry mikan-san,"**

"**I love you so much!"**

"**I thought your going to…"**

"**You made me worry you idiot!"**

"**who. . . are you?"**


	26. MY life with YOU

**Disclaimer: **even if I live forever, Gakuen Alice will NEVER be mine..

**May**** contain OOCness, cheesy words, corny statements..**

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**Ruin chan: **this is the last chapter everybody! : thanks for supporting me and reading my fics . . . if you think this is going to be a tragic ending, YOU'RE WRONG. . . I can't make them go sad and depress. .. Na-uh . . . . **Im going to make this last chapter from Mikan's perspective okay?!**

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**Last chapter: my life with you (a girl's perspective)**

"**Maybe if I haven't met you, I think I won't be able to experience those days filled with laughter, joy, excitement, preciousness, and absolute happiness."**

I woke up from my deep slumber. I was still holding Natsume's hand that was still unconscious till this very hour. I stared at him like there nothing more to do. I sighed and kissed his hand.

"Wake up now baby, wake up" was the only thing I can say right now. Everything's on Natsume's stamina now.

I can't stop myself from feeling '_negative'_ since in my perspective things repeated itself.

I can't stop thinking about onee-chan's death in Natsume's arms. Will that happen to me too?

Onee-chan, are you going to go and get him from me?

I started crying for no apparent reason. Tears of sad realization, depression, heart breaking reality, and possibilities made me weep harder. I was clutching tightly into his cold, dead like hands. Those hands which is always comforting and securing me tightly near his granite chest and warm body. His sad and lonely reflecting eyes which I tried to change into its clear, glittering eyes that always see through me will never be the same. Maybe when he wakes up he'll not remember me. Maybe when he wakes up he'll be a brand new person but please let me the first person to his delightful and expressionless face when he do wakes up.

Make him be all right. Make him be healthy this will be my last wish kami, please let us be together forever. I don't care if he loses his memory because we can make new ones right? Natsume and I will still be together. That won't change.

I stayed by his side the whole day. I haven't got any sleep yet. Hotaru, Shuichi, and Ruka came to bring me some change of clothes and food. They stayed by my side for hours but after the visiting hours were done they all went home, leaving me along in this solitary, dead atmosphere for the second time. He hasn't gained his consciousness yet. When the doctor came to do his rounds, he told me that it was unusual for someone who just got into a mild accident to be unconscious for two straight days which made me worry more. After the doctor went out, I took a short shower to calm myself down. About fifteen minutes after I went out fully dress and sat by his side again. I was clutching his hand again, tighter this time.

I rested my expressionless face near his arm. I was about to fall asleep when I felt something twitched. I raised my head frantically, shocked by what had happen.

'My eyes are trying to pleasure me,' I noted to myself.

I've been trying so hard to see his hand or feet twitch. Twitching to regain its function of sensing or feeling things again.

I sighed and rested my head again.

My hand was sweating. Maybe because Im so nervous on what will happen next after he open his dazzling eyes.

Will he remember me? Will he love me still? Will he….

Thousands of questions flooded my mind. I began tearing up again. I tried my best to hold them up because maybe if I do cry and he wakes up, he'll misunderstand things and tell me that it's his fault that I am not on my usual happy mood.

Time passed so slowly that even the ticking sound of it was countable. I fell asleep holding his hand.

I had a dream while my strong sleeping sensation was slipped in.

Onee-chan, Natsume, and I were all there. I saw them talking so I decided to go and join them but while I was on my way I realized then that they are slowly walking farther and farther away form me. Their straight backs were facing me and No matter how long I stretch my arms to both reach them, I cannot. I started crying and shouting but they didn't hear me.

I was calling his name repeatedly; he didn't hear nor turn his back on me. I stared at them with panic.

"Onee-chan! Natsume!!"

I continue shouting and running after them but what happened was that after I reached them, when I was about to reach out for the both of them, they disappeared and turned into bubbles.

The next day I woke up crying. My eyes were swollen and red from all the crying I did while I was asleep. I saw him staring at me, wide awake. After seeing him, I stood up frantically and hug him. He was staring at shock, and me, his eyes wide as if he doesn't know me.

"Who... Are you?" his voice was broken, and unsure. Maybe because of all the 'silent' days he'd been to. "Stop playing' games Natsume," my voice was cracked, my eyes, welling up tears. He didn't say anything. He stayed there frozen. I started crying for being an idiot. For letting his life be in danger and now for losing his memory.

But I was wrong….

He laughed minutes after. His voice was husky and coarse at the same time. His smile was sadistic, and sarcastic. I then realized I fell for his "who are you" trick. I punched him on his chest, making him wince in pain. I was angry and happy at the same time. Tears continued falling one after the other. My tears of happiness and frustration filled his shirt.

"You made me worry, you idiot!" I shouted.

His dead arm whose half numb until now wrapped it automatically to my shoulders, pulling me closer to his granite built chest. I cried harder after realizing that he's well and all right. That nothing changed after the accident and he still remembers me.

"Shhh now, Im fine. Im fine," his voice was much better now. The deep and comforting tone of his voice was once again present.

Minutes after I calmed down, Hotaru and the two other boys came and saw Natsume feeling well. They congratulated him for being well, while Shuichi told his sorry for not being alert around us that night.

He told us that his attitude of being absent minded brought Natsume to that situation and he was truly sorry.

Natsume didn't say anything of course so I did all of the talking. I told Shuichi that its fine and I'm the one at fault-which is true- after that we went quiet.

"Uhm, we're going to buy lunch," Ruka told me I a low voice. I stared at him with my 'what do you mean" look and he smiled. Hotaru and Shuichi accompanied Ruka and silently, they went out, leaving Natsume and me together. I didn't say anything after. I was staring outside, my eyes, full of desperation and contentment.

He reached out for my long auburn hair. I stared at him with question and smiled.

"What?" I softly whispered. He stared at me then pulled me closer to him. My cheeks were resting on his chest. I blushed.

"I just missed you," he said softly and almost a whisper like.

"Me too," I murmured back, snuggling closer to him.

An hour after, Ruka and the others came back. They brought much food, causing me to act like a pig. They were laughing at me saying things like "Natsume, your fiancée is pigging out again, and it's your fault!"

He glared at the two boys then said "why me?"

"'cause she hasn't eaten anything since you've been unconscious." Said Hotaru in a monotone voice.

I stayed quiet.

"I see,"

As if on cue, they all talked at the same time saying, "I'll be going now," I laughed after realizing how synchronized their actions were.

"Thanks guys!" I told them as I stood up and bowed. They opened the door and bade farewell, "oh, Natsume will be released tomorrow," I smiled. They waved their hands as they dismissed the topic. They walked out, closed the door silently, and then disappeared. I was left alone with him again.

"Mikan," he called me silently yet clearly. I stared at him, smiled, and then walked towards his bed side. Is at near him.

"Hmm??" I found myself holding his hands again. I didn't want to let go of it.

"Why don't we get married?" he asked.

I swear that what I heard just now must be some kind of joke. Marriage? Now? at a time like this? I can feel my temple burning, both of my cheeks red, my eyes wide as plates. I laughed nervously.

"Marriage? Don't kid me." My voice was playful yet he knew what it really meant.

'Be serious' was the true message under it. He stared at me to the point that I needed to look away. His red serious looking eyes was piercing through me, and if I didn't look away, Im sure that I'll be saying "yes," to him very quickly.

"Im serious Mikan," he held my hand. My heart was thumping at a constant rate, for a minute, I forgot how to breath, I gave off a sigh of frustration while looking at him directly into his eyes.

"I don't know Natsume" after hearing my reply, he didn't say anything to me. His face was deep in thought. Absorbing every single word that I said, reading through the lines. I observed his face with such amazement that I didn't notice that someone was with us inside the room.

"Mikan-san," the owner of the voice called.

I immediately pulled my hand away from Natsume's grip. I stood up frantically and shocked at the same time.

"Chiaki?" my voice was filled with several emotions. Aggravation, distress, doubtfulness and insecure.

She walked up to me and stared. My emotion filled face was reflected into her mirror-like eyes. Regret was present into her coffee hue eyes.

I was about to say something when all of a sudden she bowed. In a low and humiliated voice, she said "Im sorry Mikan-san,"

I gestured her to stand up. There's no need for formalities. I didn't notice Natsume beside me, standing. His warm and manly arms were around me. One was on my waist, the other one was on my shoulder. It was obvious that he was protecting me.

He spoke for the first time after I told him about my doubts about the marriage. In a sour and unwelcoming voice, he said, "Why are you here? You've done enough trouble Chiaki ," resentment filled his jade eyes.

She didn't speak for a while. I saw her sorry 'side' reflecting into her eyes as she stares at us. Then after a minute or two she started digging for something. She was frantically looking for something inside of her bag which I presume is important to the three of us.

She sighed in relief after she dragged a piece of semi long white envelope.-a letter- she bowed again and gave it out to me. "Im sorry." She mumbled again, her voice was now softer, and clear.

"Why?" I asked her. "What are you sorry for?" my question didn't mean anything. I wasn't rubbing all of the bad things that she has done to Natsume, my friends and I. for me, her presence only brought the two of us closer. She taught us to believe and trust each other, and I thank her for that.

"Im sorry for everything, Mikan-san, Natsume-kun too." her head was down "when I was packing my things I found our photo book and when I scanned things in there, I found that letter that was addressed to me almost a year ago-year of her death-and after reading it, everything became clear to me, everything that I did to the two of you was wrong, and she scolded me through this letter." She laughed while saying "scolded me through this letter,"

"Thank you." She handed me the letter, and I calmly took it. Opening it, I was shock on how elegant and clean her hand writing was, just like her attitude. Calm and composed.

I read the letter calmly and excited at the same time. I started crying. Natsume held me the whole time. I threw some glances every once and a while, and continued reading. My salt filled tears made her elegant and beautiful handwriting ruined.

**--...--**

Dear Chiaki,

Hi! I have great news! Our half sister which mom has been telling us about is my kouhai. We are currently attending the same school, and hang out every once and a while. She's so nice and I bet that if even you have a chance to see her, you'll be shock just as I did when I first saw her. She also has that brunette hair and chocolate hue eyes like mom's description. She's so lively and happy, but she's also sensitive like you. Hahaha. Every time I see her, she awfully reminds me of you, on how sweet, and innocent you were before. And Im glad that I was able to meet her, and Im praying that when you go home, whether Im still here or not, you'll like her too. After a year into 'our' school, mom told me to transfer. She didn't told me the reasons why, the only thing that she told me was that 'it's for your own good,' of course knowing how passive I am, I didn't argue with her. I was sad because mom told me not to tell Mikan-our half sister's name-about this matter.

This night will be the most unforgettable night for Natsume and I. he told me that he's planning to set things up for the two of us, meaning that we're going to be married! Of course we need to go to that engagement thingy first right? But the night before that, I had a dream. I saw Natsume crying, holding a dead girl in his bleeding and bruised arms. It was I, Chiaki. I saw everything, I don't know why I had that dream, but maybe it really is my time to go. I was upset at first but may be God gave me that as a hint that he'll be picking me up after his proposal but please, don't hold any grudges to Natsume because it's not his fault okay? I love him and he loves me too, and I know that when the right time comes, the wounds that I'll eventually leave will be healed by the next girl he'll fall in love with. Please don't fluster yourself. I know that this might upset you and you'll end up getting yourself worked up, but please just understand things Chiaki, Im not that only girl who can make his heart beat. Not only me.

I'll see you soon then, sister. And when you see Mikan, please tell her that I said 'hi'. Take care of yourself and be happy. Okay? Remember, don't be so serious about things, you need to loosen up sister. I hope that one day you'll meet Mikan; the girl that made me realized that life doesn't always give you the good stuff, you need to suffer in order to realize what really is in for you. I love you Chiaki and be good okay?!

Love you always,

Chikako :))

** --...--**

As I wiped my flowing tears, I saw both Natsume and Chiaki staring at me with relief. "Im sorry, Mikan-san," after hearing her shaking voice I grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to me. My voice was broken and rugged as I told her "it's fine. You didn't do anything wrong." I heard her gasp in astonishment after hearing what I said to her. She too, started crying "Im sorry!" she cried. I saw Natsume smiled to the two of you. His face was relax and happy at the same time.

"That's fine. You taught me many things Chiaki and thank you." I said to her after over come our emotional scene. I grabbed her hand slowly and wrapped mine, she smiled art me and said, "I hope you have a good life ahead of you. You won't see me anymore, Im going to Paris to study patisserie. Good luck, onee-chan" she smiled.

I didn't say anything; I stood there, smiling at her, and to Natsume.

"Thank you and I'll miss you," I mumbled as I pulled her into a warm teddy bear hug.

After that, she smiled and bade farewell,"take care of her Natsume-kun okay? Or else.. She threatened before she left. Making me laughed nervously. Natsume on the other hand just said "blah blah blah,"

After she left, we remained quiet, and then it struck me, the letter that she gave me, she left it.

As I grabbed it near Natsume's bed side, I ran after her, but I didn't see her, or her shadows, "Chiaki," I mumbled.

**--…--**

The next day, when Natsume got out from the hospital, the first thing that we did was to go to the airport. I want to see Chiaki off with a smile on our faces. We got there on time, along with Shuichi, Ruka, Hotaru, Anna, and Nonoko. I was the first one who saw her standing near the waiting area with her family. I ran after while calling her name out loud

"Chiaki ,"

I successfully got her attention, and not only hers but also the other people around me. I felt stupid.

I saw auntie and uncle near her. They're also there, seeing her off.

"Hi auntie, uncle," I smiled as I bowed.

"Mikan-chan!" they exclaimed, happy in voice. "How are you darling?" I head Chiaki 's mom asked.

"Im fine auntie, we just dropped by to see Chiaki off," my tone was polite yet panic filled.

"That's good." They replied. They bade their farewell to Chiaki once more and left me. They walked passed me, and they bumped into Natsume's group. I saw them smiling into each other.

"onee-chan," she called me with a gentle voice. I immediately looked up. I saw her crying.

"I'll miss you," she mumbled after realizing that her arms are already around me.

"Me too. Be safe okay?!" I reminded her. She laughed.

"Oh, you forgot this yesterday," I gave her the letter. She shook her head slowly, smiled, and then said, "It's yours."

I remained hushed after that. She laughed at me "weird" expression.

"I'll be going then," she gave me a peck on both cheeks, gave me another warm sisterly hug, then waved goodbye.

Her silhouette was slowly disappearing as the step that she was standing on continues to go down.

**--…--**

After I set her off, we went straight to the church. The issue of me being married to Natsume was awfully pressuring and exciting at the same time but we talked things out last night and now, we're getting married.

As I entered the church, as I walked down the aisle, all I can think about is how tomorrow will welcome the two of us. I thanked all of them, onee-chan, Chiaki , my parents, and friends for being there with me, but what occupied most of my thoughts was Natsume. My parents didn't walk me down the aisle. In fact this wedding is so private that the only invited ones were my close friends, my parents, and his father. I didn't wear anything elegant; instead I only wore something white, an ankle length dress, with a veil. And as for Natsume, he wore the opposite color of my dress, black tuxedo paired with black pants and a red bowtie.

As my private wedding continues, I saw and heard many signs of a better tomorrow. While hearing the priest's sermons, I saw an Eastern Tailed Blue butterfly swarming around Natsume and me. I smiled as I wiped off my tears.

"onee-chan," I mumbled.

While reminiscing about my experiences, I didn't notice the priest gesturing us to go and exchange rings already. I looked at him questionably while thinking, "We don't have a ring! We didn't buy one," I screamed into my head. I saw him smirk at me. He was enjoying my shock expression as he dug out the rings inside his pocket. I gasped.

The rings were plain, platinum ones, one was slightly bigger than the other.

He stared at me with such contentment that it made me smile back. We faced each other as he took my left hand. He then murmured, ""To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part."" He then slid the new, glittering, platinum ring and then he smiled again. I stared at it for a while, still cannot absorbed the fact that in less than thirty minutes, I'll be Mrs. Mikan Sakura-Hyuuga. I got teary eyed.

I got a hold of his hand. The priest's assistant handed over the ring to me, in a shaking yet emotion filled voice, I said every single word that the priest told me to, ""To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part."" I slid the ring on his left, ring finger too, just like what he did on mine. He was staring at me while doing that. His expression which he was carrying now was a new one for me, I haven't seen him that happy yet. It made me smile.

We faced the pastor again with smiling faces; he smiled back to us, and then said, "Ministering in the name of the Lord Jesus, I now pronounce you husband and wife. May Christ be the Head of your home. May He be the unseen Guest at every meal, the Listener to every conversation. May Christ's love rule your hearts and lives. You may now kiss the bride"

After all that hard work and hardships that we've been through, together or separated this is when I just realized that everything that happened between us will keep us stronger. Even though we, before, faced pain, a gentle or a harsh one, sadness and memories filled with tears maybe if I haven't met you, I think I won't be able to experience those days filled with laughter, joy, excitement, preciousness, and absolute happiness.

He lifted my see through veil, bent down, and kissed me. He was being gentle. A kiss that I wasn't able to feel for a long time. I replied but not that long, he broke it, then with hands clasped together, we faced the precious people in our lives and with a smile, and we walked slowly out from the church.

"Mrs. Hyuuga." he called me teasingly.

"Hmm, what do you want, Mr. Hyuuga?" I played along with him.

He bent down and whispered something on my ears which made my shrieked and yelled "pervert!" at him.

"When can I have our first son?" was his question.

"HN," he made a face In front of me which made me say "In due time, we'll have one," I smiled. He grinned back at me.

We didn't have a reception or anything so elegant and extravagant like that. We only ate in our house, together with the special people in our lives. Enjoying every laughs and giggles we let out. as i gaze into their laughing and happy faces, i cant helped but to remember everything that happened to me.

Maybe if I haven't joined the contest, or maybe if I haven't tagged along with Hotaru's business with Ruka that day, then maybe I haven't met Natsume. my life which was filled with nothing but family love all changed. In the process, as I see my self falling in love with Natsume, slowly but surely, I learned many things. Love, laugh, tears and memories, betrayal, resentment, befuddlement, the feeling of being important and being protected from, all those feelings especially friendship and trust gave me a different outlook in life. With these people around me, around Natsume. Im sure that the 'tomorrow' which we'll happily welcome will not be as challenging as it looks…

**End of search for the next hyuuga bride**

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**a/n:** this is the last chapter of my "search for the next hyuuga bride" fic. It's been fun reading it! and I owe it all to you readers! Tell me what you think okay? And im apologizing in advance if you think that the ending sucks or the ending went fast. SORRY!!

Read my other fic "my childhood friend loves me," thanks!!

**Please review.. **

For the last time, I want to receive as many reviews as I can. I just want to know how many people love this fic, or maybe it's ending.

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**Signing off..**

**Ruin Princess **


	27. EPILOGUE

**Epilogue:**

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**Happiness will never leave our side as long as we continue to believe that it's always there.**

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After four blissful years filled nothing but happiness, natsume and I had children. Our oldest one was a boy named Seiji Hyuuga, and our little angel, Chikako Hyuuga. Yes, you're right. We named our daughter after her aunt Chikako who, if it wasn't for her, all of this didn't happen. We owe her so much that this is our only way to show her our thanks. If it wasn't for her, for her death, for her visits in our dreams and if it wasn't for me being her half sister, all of this wouldn't had happen. Every now and then my other half sister, chiaki will come by and visit us. Her dream of being a patisserie was attained a year after our wedding. Now, on her third year, since her debut, she became a renowned _pâtissier._

Hotaru and Ruka's relationship became permanent as they tied their vows together a year and a half after our wedding. Recently, when hotaru called me, she informed that she is pregnant and she is happy that she ended up being with ruka, even though occasionally they'll fight because of hotaru's stubbornness. Due to her maternity, ruka, who's been working for natsume's company since the very beginning became more frustrated and at the time fretful because hotaru's condition. Knowing hotaru, even though her doctor told her to go and get a complete bed rest, she will always find an alibi so that she can work. She hates being bored.

Shuichi on the other hand is currently engaged to her fiancée which, according to him met when he came back to Paris. After hearing his stories about the girl that he's currently engaged to, it occur to me that the girl that he's been telling me about was chiaki the whole time, since he kept on saying "patisserie," repeatedly. I was happy for them that they found each other. I want chiaki to be happy the way I was. The last time shuichi called me, I told him to take care of chiaki, or else he's going to get it from me. He also told me that he is planning to ask for her hand in due time, he's only raising some more money so that the wedding will be according to her wishes.

Anna and nonoko who on the very beginning loves clothes and fashion accessories were able to built their own fashion house. It was weird because according to them, the name of the company was "HnT" which stands for happiness and tears, when I asked them the reason behind it, they simply told me that I gave them the inspiration to pursue their dreams.

We haven't heard anything about Luna after chiaki's departure. We all thought that she went abroad or she was in jail but recently, anna, who comes by every other day, told me that she just saw Luna near our new house. Actually she's been seeing her a lot. Stalking and standing near our house as if she's been waiting for someone.

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**All of our lives changed after we met new people. But one thing that didn't change is the fact that if anyone of us needs somebody, we'll be there for them...**

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**A/n:** epilogue. some of my reviewers asked me to go and make another chap, so here it is. I hope you like it! It's kinda short but this is what happened to them after mikan and natsume's marriage. As for Luna, don't even ask me, I don't know what happened to her.


End file.
